Rockets Drop Series Finale to Ball State, 4-2

Sunday, March 24

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

10-13, 6-3

Ball State

13-12, 2-7

Ball State

Toledo

Junior Brayden White led Toledo with two hits in the Rockets' 4-2 loss to Ball State.

Photo by: Bree Bee

3/24/2024 5:08:00 PM | Baseball

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Toledo captures series vs. Cardinals for the first time since 2016

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team's hopes for another comeback victory at Scott Park were dashed on Sunday afternoon in a 4-2 Mid-American Conference setback to Ball State. The Rockets (10-13, 6-3 MAC) still won the series against the Cardinals (13-12, 2-7 MAC) even with today's defeat, giving them their first series win over BSU since 2016.

"We had our chances to tie it up late and just came up short," Head Coach Rob Reinstetle said. "Ball State is the defending champs in our league, and they've been a perennial top team in the MAC. For us to come in and win the series and be in a position to possibly sweep is a testament to our team. I'm proud of how our guys battled all weekend and know this will propel us into next week and the rest of the season."

UT trailed by three runs entering the seventh inning, the same deficit it was facing in yesterday's dramatic extra-inning win over the Cardinals. After scoring its first run of the day in the bottom of the seventh, Toledo had a golden opportunity to even the game in the eighth inning when senior Scott Mackiewicz doubled to right-center put runners on second and third with nobody out. The Rockets could only convert that to one run though on Luke Walton's sacrifice fly.

Sophomore southpaw RJ Shunck (1-3) struck out seven batters in five innings for the Rockets in the defeat. He allowed five hits and three runs, including a pair of solo homers.

Ball State freshman lefty Keegan Johnson (3-0) earned the win after fanning a season-high 11 batters and allowing just one run and four hits in seven innings.

Junior Brayden White led UT offensively by collecting two of the Rockets' six hits.

Toledo continues its nine-game homestand on Tuesday, March 26 when it hosts Youngstown State. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. at Scott Park.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Corey Miley put Ball State in front with a solo homer over the left-field fence in the second.
Blake Bevis' RBI single increased the Cardinals' lead to 2-0.
Nick Husovsky added another solo shot for BSU to put the Rockets down 3-0 in the fifth.
Brayden White doubled to lead off the seventh and scored UT's first run on Wes Parker's groundout.
Luke Walton's sacrifice fly in the eighth made it a one-run game.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the ninth.