Toledo to Play Five Games This Week Beginning Tuesday at Michigan

Tuesday, March 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Michigan

Junior Garret Pike led the Rockets with a team-high .636 batting average (7-of-11) against Akron last weekend.

Toledo to Play Five Games This Week Beginning Tuesday at Michigan

3/11/2024 10:03:00 AM | Baseball

Rockets to visit Wright State on Wednesday and Western Michigan this weekend

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team will look to continue its momentum from last weekend's three-game sweep at Akron when it plays five games in the week ahead.

The Rockets (7-8, 3-0 MAC) will begin their week with a trip to Ann Arbor for a non-conference contest at Michigan on Tuesday, March 12 at 3:00 p.m. UT will then travel down I-75 on Wednesday, March 13 to face Wright State in another non-conference tilt at 3:00 p.m. Toledo will return to conference play when it visits Western Michigan for a three-game series in Kalamazoo on Friday-Sunday, March 15-17.

The Rockets opened their weekend at Akron with a doubleheader sweep (6-3, 2-1) on Friday before pulling out a 6-5 victory over the Zips on Saturday. UT's sweep of Akron marked the second straight season the Rockets began league play with three straight road wins.

Junior Garret Pike led the Rockets against the Zips with a .636 batting average (7-of-11). Senior Owen Jackson and redshirt freshman Luke Walton also blasted a team-best two homers last weekend.

Walton ranks fourth in the MAC in slugging percentage (.765), fifth in OPS (1.253), sixth in on-base percentage (.488), and eighth in batting average (.353). Jackson is tied for fifth in the league with four home runs.

Toledo has opened its 2024 campaign with 15 straight games on the road and will host Wright State at Scott Park on Wednesday, March 20 in the first of nine straight home games. UT's nine-game homestand will feature conference series vs. Ball State and Northern Illinois.

STARTING STRENGTH
Senior Noah Johnson (1-0, 3.57 ERA) has been the Rockets' most consistent starter, throwing at least four innings in every starting assignment. In Toledo's 6-3 Game One win at Akron on Friday, he fanned a season-high nine batters in a season-best seven innings. Johnson ranks fourth in the MAC in ERA, fifth in opponent batting average (.225) and innings pitched (22.2), and sixth in strikeouts (25).

Senior Grant Umberger (2-2, 3.93 ERA) threw five scoreless innings in UT's Game Two victory over the Zips. Umberger is tied for third in the MAC in wins (2), third in opponent batting average (.203) and sixth in ERA (3.93 ERA).

Sophomore RJ Shunck (1-1, 5.68 ERA) has a 3.00 ERA in his last three starts with 18 strikeouts in 12.0 innings. He picked up his first career win at Southeast Missouri State (March 3).

BULLPEN BANTER
Freshman Jacob Tabor (1-0, 1.80 ERA) possesses the Rockets' lowest ERA and leads the MAC with three saves. He has a bullpen-best 13 strikeouts in 10.0 innings.

Senior Camryn Szynski (0-1, 4.91 ERA) has registered two saves, while junior Brennan McCune (0-0, 3.52 ERA) and senior Kyle Pijaszek (1-0, 5.40 ERA) are tied with Tabor for the team lead with six appearances.

ABOUT MICHIGAN
Michigan (5-11) will be looking to bounce back from a three-game series sweep at Coastal Carolina last weekend. Sophomore Mitch Voit (.333, 2 HR, 11 RBI) has a team-high nine doubles and is the only Wolverine hitting above .300.

ABOUT WRIGHT STATE
Wright State (7-7) brings a five-game winning streak into Tuesday's contest vs. Xavier. Senior Sammy Sass (.387, 4 HR, 20 RBI) is the Raiders' top hitter, while senior Jay Luikart (.371, 5 HR, 16 RBI) and senior Ben Vore (.359, 5 HR, 14 RB) lead WSU in home runs.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan (7-8) opened the season with two victories over Michigan, but the Broncos lost all three games to VCU, Michigan State, and Western Carolina at the First Pitch Invitational in Greenville, S.C. last weekend. WMU is the MAC's top hitting team (.309 batting average) with senior Cade Sullivan ranking fourth in the conference with a .397 hitting mark. Senior Nolan Vlcek leads the MAC with a 2.81 ERA.