TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball won its third straight one-run game on Sunday, a 5-4 decision over Kent State to clinch the weekend series over the Golden Flashes.

Following this weekend's series against Kent State, Toledo is now 18-17 overall and 12-11 in Mid-American Conference play and sits in third place in the conference standings. The top four teams make the MAC Tournament, which will be hosted by the regular season champion.

The Rockets trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, but a couple clutch two-out hits by sophomores Jeron Williams and Scott Mackiewicz tied the game at 4-4. In the next inning, senior Nicky Winterstein's pinch-hit single with two outs brought in the go-ahead run and McAninch shut the Golden Flashes down in the final innings to end the game.

"I couldn't be happier for the team and the program as a whole," head coach Rob Reinstetle said. "Camryn Szynski gave us a good start and Cal McAninch shut them down out of the bullpen to close it out. We played really good defense as well and the offense battled their way back into the game with some clutch two-out hits. Garret Pike had a big day at the plate, going 4-for-5. This is a huge series win against a very good Kent State team, but we have more work to do and a lot of baseball to play. We've positioned ourselves well with this weekend's performance. Next weekend will be another big challenge as we welcome Eastern Michigan to Scott Park."

Pike's 4-for-5 day capped an outstanding weekend for the freshman; he hit .625 (10-for-16) over four games and tied for the team lead with five runs scored while driving in four himself. Williams went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base out of the leadoff spot, while Mackiewicz, Winterstein, and junior Darryn Davis all drove in runs as well.

Szynski started the game and threw five solid innings, striking out three. McAninch held the Golden Flashes scoreless in four innings of work, his longest outing of the season, while striking out two.

The Rockets host Eastern Michigan next weekend for a four-game series.

How it Happened

• A squeeze bunt from Kent State brought in the first run of the game in the top of the second.
• Mike McNamara launched a two-run home run in the top of the third to put the Golden Flashes ahead, 3-0.
• Davis got the Rockets on the board with a sac fly in the bottom half of the third to put the score at 3-1.
• Toledo trimmed the deficit to one, 3-2, with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Mason Sykes grounded into a double play, but Mackiewicz was able to score on the play.
• A Kent State sac fly in the sixth once again put the Rockets down two, 4-2.
• Toledo tied the game with a couple runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-4. Redshirt freshman Trey Wright doubled down the line in right field, then scored on Williams' base hit to make it a one-run game. Williams then stole second and scored on Mackiewicz's single to tie the game.
• Winterstein came off the bench as a pinch hitter and delivered the biggest hit of the game in the bottom of the seventh, singling into the gap in right-center to bring home Pike and give Toledo a 5-4 lead, its first lead of the day.
• With runners on first and second in the top of the eighth, Kent State nearly tied the game with a line drive into left field, but Sykes' sliding catch ended the inning and preserved the Rockets' lead.
• McAninch pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to cap an excellent outing and a Toledo win.