Toledo Hosts Purdue Fort Wayne in Final Non-Conference Midweek Game

Tuesday, May 16

Toledo, Ohio

3:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Purdue Fort Wayne

Toledo hosts Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday afternoon in its final non-conference game of the year.

Photo by: Bree Bee

Toledo Hosts Purdue Fort Wayne in Final Non-Conference Midweek Game

5/15/2023 3:44:00 PM | Baseball

First pitch for Rockets vs. Mastodons set for 3:00 p.m.

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team welcomes Purdue Fort Wayne to Scott Park on Tuesday for its final non-conference game of the season. First pitch between the Rockets and Mastodons is set for 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and will be televised locally on BCSN.

This will be the second meeting between Toledo and Purdue Fort Wayne this season. The two teams faced off at Mastodon Field on April 4, a game that UT won 9-8 following a five-run eighth inning.

Last Time Out
Toledo just wrapped up one of its better MAC series of the season, taking two out of three from Central Michigan at Scott Park this weekend. It was UT's first series win over CMU since 2013.

The Chippewas won Friday's series opener, but the Rockets came back to take the next two games to clinch the series. On Saturday, Toledo broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the ninth on Garret Pike's walk-off single to come away with a thrilling 4-3 victory. Pitching then proved to be the story in Sunday's 5-2 win, with RJ Shunck and Cal McAninch both turning in outstanding outings.

Battle of I-75 at Fifth Third Field: Part III
The third annual Battle of I-75 meeting at Fifth Third Field is third Friday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are still available for the battle between the Rockets and Falcons in Downtown Toledo! Tickets can be purchased through the Toledo Mud Hens Ticket Office by visiting utrockets.com/FifthThirdField to purchase tickets.

Toledo and BGSU have each won one meeting at Fifth Third Field. The Rockets won the first game, 5-2, in 2021 before the Falcons won, 5-4, in 2022.

This year's Battle of I-75 matchup will be the second game in a three-game Mid-American Conference series between the two rivals. Toledo and Bowling Green will open their series at Scott Park on Thursday, May 18 and conclude on Saturday, May 20.

Rewriting the Record Book
Several school records have been broken this year, with more potentially falling over the next week as the Rockets wrap up their 2023 season.

Owen Jackson has 16 home runs entering play on Tuesday, which is tied for most in a season in school history. Teammate Mason Sykes hit a record-setting 16 home runs last season.
On April 26 vs. Bowling Green, Sykes hit his 36^th career home run to become Toledo's all-time home run leader. He passed Dan Sherwood (35 home runs, 2008-11) with his fourth-inning blast vs. the Falcons. Sykes' 37 career home runs are the most among all current MAC players.
Jeron Williams broke Toledo's single-season stolen base record on April 25 at Dayton and is threatening to break the MAC's single-season record as well. He has 48 stolen bases on the year, most in the nation and putting him just two stolen bases away from tying the all-time MAC single-season stolen base record of 50 set by Central Michigan's Larry Lamphere in 1988.
Williams could approach a few other single-season school records as well. His 89 hits are 10 away from tying Chris Dudics' record of 99 set in 2013; 62 runs scored are eight away from tying Andy Stetka's record of 70 set in 2001; and his 141 total bases are 11 away from tying Sean Dobson's record of 152 set in 2004.
The Rockets have also broken their single-season team records for home runs and stolen bases. UT's 87 home runs clobbered the previous record of 65 homers set in 2002, and its 98 stolen bases overtook the single-season record of 85 set last season.
Toledo pitchers have broken the single-season strikeout record in each of the last two years, and they could do it again this year. UT pitchers have accumulated 421 strikeouts this year, 17 off the record of 438 set last year.
One of the top fielding teams in the country, Toledo's .980 fielding percentage this year ranks 18^th in the nation and would be the highest in a single season in school history.

About Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne brings a 10-41 record into Tuesday's game and has hit a rough patch as of late, losing 13 straight contests. The Mastodons' last win was an impressive one though, a 3-2 road victory at Michigan State on April 19. Braedon Blackford is the 'Dons biggest offensive threat, leading the team with 13 home runs and a single-season school record 56 RBIs.