Toledo Falls at Presbyterian, 7-6, in Extra Innings

Friday, February 24

Clinton, S.C.

3:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

1-3

Presbyterian

3-2

Toledo

Presbyterian College

Trey Wright hit one of three Toledo home runs in Friday's game at Presbyterian.

Toledo Falls at Presbyterian, 7-6, in Extra Innings

2/24/2023 6:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Three home runs not enough for Rockets in walk-off loss

CLINTON, S.C. – The Toledo baseball team opened its weekend at the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic with a 7-6 extra-inning setback at Presbyterian on Friday.

The Rockets led for much of the game, but the Blue Hose tied it up with a three-run seventh inning and took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth. Toledo tied the game in the top of the ninth and took a 6-5 lead with a leadoff home run in the top of the 10^th, but Presbyterian scored two in the bottom half of the 10^th to win in walk-off fashion.

"That was another tough loss," head coach Rob Reinstetle said. "We continue to struggle on the mound. The free bases are killing us and opening the door for the other team to hang around. Offensively we swung the bats well tonight in spots, but we also had too many easy 1-2-3 innings when we should be keeping the pedal down and pouring it on. We haven't played our best baseball yet and we're still in every game. We will continue to fight like crazy until it clicks and that happens."

Three Rockets hit home runs on Friday: senior Mason Sykes, sophomore Trey Wright, and sophomore Owen Jackson, each player's first home run of the season and Jackson's first home run as a Rocket. Sykes was one of four players to have a two-hit game, being joined by junior Jeron Williams, sophomore Garret Pike, and sophomore Brian Fry.

Sophomore Brennan McCune started on the mound and struck out six in four innings of work. Senior Cal McAninch, freshman RJ Shunck, sophomore Patrick Dillon, and junior Kyle Music all saw time out of the bullpen.

Next up for Toledo is a Saturday contest at USC Upstate. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

How it Happened

Mason Sykes hit his first home run of the season in the top of the first to give Toledo a 2-0 lead.
The Rockets extended their lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth on Trey Wright's two-run homer. Daunte DeCello reached on a one-out single, then one pitch later Wright drilled one over the fence in right field.
Presbyterian got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a bases-loaded single, bringing home its first run of the game to put the score at 4-1.
The Blue Hose scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, two on RBI singles and one on a bases-loaded HBP, to tie the game at 4-4.
Presbyterian took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the eighth, scoring on a UT error to take a 5-4 lead.
The Rockets did not stay down long, plating the tying run in the top of the ninth. Brayden White and Brian Fry reached on back-to-back singles and White later scored on Jeron Williams' base hit to put the score at 5-5.
Both teams led off their respective halves of the 10^th inning with home runs. Owen Jackson opened the top of the 10^th with a homer to give Toledo a 6-5 lead, but Presbyterian's Kyle Decker led off the bottom half of the 10^th with a solo shot to bring the score back to a stalemate at 6-6.
Two batters at-bats after Decker's home run, Joel Dragoo won the game for the Blue Hose on a walk-off RBI single.