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Jeron Williams vs. Akron
Katie Manger
Jeron Williams stole a career-high four bases in Friday's game vs. Akron.
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Winner Akron AKRON 9-11, 4-3 MAC
1
TOLEDO TOLEDO 9-11, 3-4 MAC
Winner
Akron AKRON
9-11, 4-3 MAC
2
Final
1
TOLEDO TOLEDO
9-11, 3-4 MAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Akron AKRON 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 7 2
TOLEDO TOLEDO 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 0

W: TORTORELLA, Sammy (2-1) L: Johnson, Noah (3-1) S: GILLIES, Emmett (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Rockets Downed by Zips in 2-1 Pitcher’s Duel

Jeron Williams goes 3-for-4, steals four bases in Friday’s contest

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team had its 2023 home opener spoiled by Akron on Friday, falling to the Zips 2-1.

Friday's game was a pitcher's duel, as both starting pitchers turned in excellent performances. Junior Noah Johnson struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings for the Rockets (9-11, 3-4 MAC) while walking just one, and Akron's (9-11, 4-3 MAC) Sammy Tortorella struck out nine across 7.1 innings of work.

The difference proved to be a pair of RBI doubles from the Zips, who took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Toledo scored a run on an Akron error to make it a 2-1 game, and put runners at second and third in the top of the ninth. The big hit never came though, and both runners were left stranded when the game ended.

Friday was Johnson's longest outing of the season, and his 11 punchouts are the most by a Rocket pitcher this season. Senior Cal McAninch also threw two scoreless innings in relief, striking out three.

Junior Jeron Williams turned in the best performance by a Rocket hitter, going 3-for-4 at the plate and causing havoc on the basepaths with a career-high four stolen bases. Williams now has 17 stolen bases on the season, comfortably the most in the MAC. The Archbold, Ohio native also extended his hitting streak to 28 games and has reached base safely in each of the last 30 games.

Toledo and Akron will resume their weekend series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN3.

How it Happened
  • Noah Johnson flummoxed Akron's hitters early, striking out five of the first 12 batters he faced.
  • The Zips struck first on a two-out RBI double in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead.
  • Jeron Williams singled in the bottom of the fourth and proceeded to steal second and third, but was left standing 90 feet away from home plate when the inning ended.
  • The Zips made it 2-0 on another RBI double in the top of the sixth.
  • Williams legged out an infield single in the bottom of the sixth and once again stole second and third, but for the second time in three inning he was left stranded.
  • Toledo scored a run on an Akron error in the bottom of the seventh to make it 2-1. Brian Fry was hit by a pitch and two batters later came in to score after an error by the Zips shortstop erased what would have been the third out of the inning.
  • The Rockets had two runners in scoring position with one out in the top of the ninth, but Akron was able to escape unscathed to end the game.
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