University of Toledo
Youngstown State
Toledo Welcomes Youngstown State for Midweek Action on Tuesday
3/27/2023 3:54:00 PM | Baseball
Rockets and Penguins clash at Scott Park at 3:00 p.m.
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team will face Youngstown State in midweek action on Tuesday at Scott Park. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
This will be the first home midweek contest for UT this season and the first of two meetings between the Rockets and Penguins. Both teams will face off in Youngstown on Tuesday, April 11.
Last Time Out
Toledo took two out of three vs. Akron this weekend, scoring 24 runs in Saturday's win before walking off the Zips on Sunday.
The Rockets lost a 2-1 pitcher's duel on Friday to open the series before winning 24-8 on Saturday to even the series. The Rockets' 24 runs were their most since scoring 27 runs vs. Olivet College in 2010. Saturday's total was fueled by an explosive 12-run bottom of the second that put the game out of reach shortly after it began.
In the rubber match, sophomore Owen Jackson crushed a three-run, walk-off home run to cap a thrilling 10-9 victory at Scott Park on Sunday. The Rockets led for much of the game until a four-run top of the eighth put the Zips ahead, 9-7. Freshman Troy Sudbrook led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and junior Jeron Williams singled to put two runners on for Jackson. The sophomore slugger took the first pitch he saw for a strike and then, after stepping out of the box to confer with head coach Rob Reinstetle, obliterated the next pitch for a three-run home run. Jackson's 10th home run of the season, tied for first in the MAC, ended with him being mobbed at home plate by the rest of the Rockets.
Rocket Notes- Owen Jackson's walk-off homer on Sunday was Toledo's first walk-off home run since Darryn Davis walked off the Miami RedHawks last year on March 25.
- Jeron Williams is among the national leaders in both stolen bases (17) and hits (42). He ranks eight and 10th, respectively, among Division I hitters in those categories.
- Williams owns a 30-game hitting streak and 32-game on-base streak dating back to last year. He has hit safely in all 22 games this season and has 13 multi-hit efforts on the year, most on the team. Williams has multiple hits in six of the last seven games.
- Toledo is the top home run hitting team in the MAC and one of the best in the country, ranking atop the league and 25th in the nation with 40 home runs. UT hit a season-high six home runs at Middle Tennessee (March 5).
- Noah Johnson (3.03) and Cal McAninch (3.04) rank fourth and fifth in the MAC in ERA, respectively.
- Johnson also ranks third in the league with 32 strikeouts. He recorded a season-high 11 K's in Friday's game vs. Akron.
- Individually, Owen Jackson and Mason Sykes are on pace to threaten the single-season and career home run records, respectively.
- Jackson is tied for the MAC lead with 10 home runs through 22 games, a pace that would shatter the single-season mark of 16 home runs set last year by Sykes.
- Speaking of Sykes, he owns 30 career home runs entering play on Tuesday, five behind Toledo's career home run leader Dan Sherwood (2008-11), who hit 35 homers in his time at UT.
Youngstown State brings a 5-17 record into Tuesday's game. Two of the Penguins' victories came in a four-game series at Big 12 opponent Baylor earlier this season. Trey Law (.360 batting average) and Braeden O'Shaughnessy (.325) lead the team in hitting, and Padraig O'Shaughnessy leads the team in both home runs (four) and RBIs (23). On the mound, Youngstown State sports an unsightly 9.07 team ERA and is led by Travis Perry, who owns a 3.55 ERA across six starts.
Next Up
Toledo visits Kent State for a three-game MAC series this weekend.
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