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Grant Umberger
Daniel Miller/University of Toledo
Senior Grant Umberger allowed just one run and five hits with seven strikeouts over six innings in Toledo's 23-4 win over NIU.
4
Northern Illinois NIU 9-17, 5-5 MAC
23
Winner Toledo TOLEDO 12-13, 7-3 MAC
Northern Illinois NIU
9-17, 5-5 MAC
4
Final
23
Toledo TOLEDO
12-13, 7-3 MAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Northern Illinois NIU 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 7 0
Toledo TOLEDO 1 1 5 3 5 0 1 7 X 23 19 1

W: Umberger, Grant (3-2) L: BRACHBILL, Ty (3-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Toledo Blasts Seven Homers in 23-4 Series-Opening Win Over NIU

Redshirt freshman Luke Walton becomes first Rocket to hit for cycle in nearly 20 years

TOLEDO, Ohio – Redshirt freshman Luke Walton homered twice and became the first Rocket to hit for the cycle in nearly 20 years as the Toledo baseball team blasted a season-high tying seven home runs on Thursday afternoon in a 23-4 Mid-American Conference victory over Northern Illinois. The victory improved the Rockets (12-13) to 7-3 in league play and dropped the Huskies (9-17) to 5-5 in the MAC.

"It's a great start to the series for us, but we have a couple more wins left on the table," Head Coach Rob Reinstetle said. "We need to come back tomorrow and play well again to take the series. The offense is seeing the ball really well and scoring some runs. It was a great performance by them with so many guys contributing at the plate."

Walton's five hits and career-high six RBIs led UT's 19-hit attack. He is the first Rocket to hit for the cycle since Sean Dobson achieved the feat at Oakland on April 28, 2004. Juniors Brayden White (4-for-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) and Garret Pike (3-for-4, 4 R, 2H, 4 RBI) also enjoyed big days at the plate for the Rockets.

Toledo homered in each of the first five innings and blew the game open by scoring five runs in the third, three more in the fourth, and five in the fifth.

Senior Grant Umberger (3-2) was the recipient of Toledo's offensive explosion and kept the Huskies at bay for six innings. He picked up the victory for the Rockets by tying his season high with seven strikeouts and allowing just five hits and one run in six innings.

"We played another complete game today and it all starts on the mound where Grant Umberger was outstanding," Reinstetle said. "He never let their offense get untracked."

First pitch for tomorrow's matchup between the Rockets and Huskies is set for 3:00 p.m. at Scott Park. The series finale is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Garett Pike's solo homer put Toledo in front in the first inning.
  • Brayden White led off the second with another solo shot to give UT a 2-0 advantage.
  • Pike's three-run round-tripper and Luke Walton's two-run blast in the third increased Toledo's margin to 7-1.
  • The Rockets plated three more runs after two were out in the fourth on Owen Jackson's two-run homer and White's single to right-center.
  • Walton's grand slam over the right-field fence highlighted a five-run fifth that gave UT a 15-1 cushion.
  • Toledo registered its biggest inning of the day with a seven-run outburst in the eighth that included Tre Mariano slugging a three-run homer for his first collegiate home run.
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