AKRON, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team swept its doubleheader at Akron on Monday, winning the first game by a score of 4-2 and the second game, 8-5.
The series began on Friday with a doubleheader, but winter weather in the Akron area prevented games from being played on Saturday and Sunday, necessitating the Monday twin bill.
"That was a really long and, at times, frustrating weekend at Akron," head coach
Rob Reinstetle said. "After not coming close to our capabilities on Friday, we came back today and did what we needed to do. We played much better today in all areas. We got an outstanding start out of
Jordan Power in game one and
Connor Brandon threw well in game two. We had some guys throw really well out of the bullpen as well, and I thought we played some solid defense. Our hitting has been a struggle, but we'll get to work this week and get the boys feeling good going into an important Western Michigan weekend.
Senior
Jordan Power was outstanding in game one, throwing a career-best eight shutout innings while striking out seven and not allowing a walk. Sophomore
Gavin Starcher earned his first save of the season out of the pen. At the plate, senior
Zach Schwartzenberger tallied three hits and drove in one of four Rocket runs.
Game two saw more offensive production from both teams as the Rockets and Zips combined for 13 runs on 18 hits. Sophomore
Jeron Williams went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs for UT to lead the way, while senior
John Servello had a pair of hits, including his first home run of the season. Freshman
Brian Fry had a nice day at the plate as well, going 1-for-2 with a couple RBIs and three walks. Sophomore
Connor Brandon tossed five shutout innings and struck out six to start things off and junior
Cal McAninch struck out two in 1.1 innings for the save.
Toledo will visit Western Michigan for a four-game series this weekend.
How it Happened (Game 1)
- The first game started out as a pitcher's duel with both teams combining for just two hits through the first four innings.
- Akron plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out single, but Servello threw out the runner trying to score from second to prevent further damage.
- Junior Mason Sykes' sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth tied the game at 1-1.
- The Rockets scored three runs in the top of the seventh to make it 4-1. The go-ahead run came in to score on an Akron error, and Schwartzenberger and Fry tallied RBIs in back-to-back at-bats to push Toledo's lead to three.
- A two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth gave the Zips some late hope, but Starcher induced a game-ending groundout to close things out.
How it Happened (Game 2)
- The Rockets took an early lead with a three-run top of the second. Fry opened the scoring with a two-run single, then later came around to score on Williams' two-out single to make it 3-0.
- Servello launched his first dinger of the year in the top of the third to make it 4-0.
- Toledo continued to pile it on with a three-run top of the sixth. Williams drove in another run with a single into left field, then UT scored on back-to-back Akron miscues (a bases-loaded walk and a throwing error).
- The Zips hit their way back into the game with a three-run seventh and a two-run eighth to put the score at 7-5.
- With two outs in the top of the ninth, sophomore Scott Mackiewicz was hit by a pitch with an 0-2 count and the bases loaded to bring in a key insurance run and put the score at 8-5. That would hold as the final score after a scoreless bottom half of the ninth from McAninch.
