MUNCIE, Ind. – The University of Toledo baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader at Ball State, dropping the first game 7-1 before winning by a 6-3 margin in game two.
 
The Rockets were able to bounce back from a loss in the opener and win the nightcap, and will play for a chance to tie the weekend series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
 
"Much like last Saturday, today was a roller coaster of emotions," head coach Rob Reinstetle said. "Game one pitted two really good arms against each other. Kyle Jones gave us another quality start but found some tough luck towards the end of the game. Chayce McDermott for Ball State was dominant and probably had the best fastball we've seen all year."
 
Toledo took an early 1-0 lead in game one on Chris Meyers' seventh home run of the season, but that would be the only offensive highlight. Chayce McDermott flummoxed Rocket hitters all afternoon, ending the day with a seven-inning complete game and 13 strikeouts. Kyle Jones threw all six innings for Toledo and struck out a career-high 10 Cardinal hitters.
 
Game two was a pitcher's duel to start, but the Rockets were able to plate three runs in the top of the fifth to grab the lead. They would go on to score three more in the top of the sixth, and thanks to an excellent outing from Layne Schnitz-Paxton the six runs were enough to take home the win. Schnitz-Paxton threw a seven-inning complete game and struck out eight.
 
At the plate, Nicky Winterstein recorded a career-best five RBIs, going 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of stolen bases. Thomas Eitniear was 1-for-3 with an RBI as well.

"I'm proud of the way we responded in Game two and got the win," Reinstetle said. "Once again Layne Schnitz-Paxton was outstanding on the mound. He gave us everything he had. Offensively we made every hit count and found a way to win. Tomorrow is a big game, we have a chance to walk out of here with a road split."

 
How it Happened: Game 1

• After his 4-for-4 day on Friday, Meyers stayed hot with a solo home run in the top of the first to give the Rockets an early 1-0 lead.
• Jones struck out four of the first five batters he faced, but Ball State's Ryan Peltier hit a two-run home run to left field in the second to give his team a 2-1 lead.
• Following the Meyers home run, BSU's starter Chayce McDermott struck out nine straight to keep the Rockets' offense subdued.
• Ball State took a 6-1 lead with a four-run fifth, an inning highlighted by a two-run triple into the gap in right-center field by Trenton Quartermaine.
• The Cardinals capped the scoring in the sixth with a leadoff home run to make it 7-1.

 
How it Happened: Game 2

• Game two was scoreless through the first four innings.
• The Rockets struck first with three runs in the top of the fifth. With runners at second and third, Winterstein drove a double into the gap in right-center field to send both runners home and plate the first runs of the game. He would later score on Eitniear's single up the middle to give Toledo a 3-0 lead.
• The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, but Schnitz-Paxton recorded back-to-back punchouts to end the inning and strand a couple runners, preventing further damage.
• Winterstein opened the game up with a bases-clearing double in the top of the sixth to make it 6-1. Danny O'Reilly reached on a walk, Zach Schwartzenberger ripped a pinch-hit single into right field, then Marcus Strother walked to load the bases. Winterstein then drove a 1-2 pitch into the gap in left-center field to drive all three runners home.
• Ball State had runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Schnitz-Paxton forced his second inning-ending double play of the day to escape trouble.
• A two-out triple scored two runs for the Cardinals in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little too late as the Rockets were able to hold on and win 6-3.