Box Score SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Toledo baseball junior Garret Pike hit his 39th career home run in the first inning to break the program's all-time home run record, setting his second Toledo home run record this week during a 6-5 defeat against Notre Dame at Frank Eck Stadium on Friday.

Toledo (24-26) had its four-game winning streak snapped while Notre Dame (26-21) improved to 15-7 at home this season.

After Toledo jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, the Fighting Irish forged out to a 6-3 lead after five. Pike and freshman Luke Walton hit back-to-back homers in the eighth to cut it to 6-5, but the Rockets' rally would end there.

Pike's eighth inning was the 40th of his career. He now has 19 home runs on the season, having broken the single-season program mark with his 17th of the year at Oakland on Tuesday. He totaled three RBIs and three runs scored in a 2-for-3 evening, marking his fifth multi-home run game and seventh game with at least three RBI's this season. Walton went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, hitting his 12th long ball of the season. Junior Trey Wright also had a 2-for-4 evening with a double.

"Beating the career record is a great feeling, and I am now most proud of how I overcame mono early this year," Pike said. "I was down-weight and had a slow start to the year, and it took a lot of mental strength to pick myself up and turn it around. I want to thank all my coaches over the years that have helped me and my teammates. It's been a fun year, but we have a lot of work left in front of us."
 
"Garret is such a special player, but more importantly, he is a phenomenal person and deserves all of the attention and accolades that come his way," said Head Coach Rob Reinstetle. "Just three days ago he set the single-season home run record and today he became Toledo's all-time home run champion. I'm incredibly proud of his performance tonight."
 
Senior Grant Umberger started and went 4.0 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and striking out six. Senior Cam Szynski (0-3) took the decision, allowing three earned runs in 2.0 innings. Senior Brennan McCune and junior Caden Kline combined for 2.0 scoreless innings to close out the pitching effort. Toledo pitching totaled 12 strikeouts on the evening.
 
"That's a hard loss to swallow because we undoubtedly out-pitched and out-hit them, but the difference was defense," said Reinstetle. "They didn't go in the scorebook as errors, but there were plays we have to make to win games. While it hurts to lose a game like that, I am encouraged with the way we're swinging the bats and pitching the ball."
 
The Rockets and Fighting Irish will play the middle game of the three-game set on Saturday, May 11 beginning at 2:00 p.m. on ACCNX.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Caden Konczak singled to lead off the game, Garret Pike homered two batters later for the early 2-0 lead.
• The Irish cut the deficit to 2-1 in the first with an RBI double.
• After Pike reached on a hit by pitch and stole second, Luke Walton restored the two-run lead in the third with an RBI single.
• A two-run Notre Dame single tied the score in the bottom of the third.
• Notre Dame took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly before plating two more on an RBI single for a 6-3 advantage.
• Pike and Walton hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the top of the eighth and cut the deficit to 6-5. However, the Rockets would go down in order in the ninth.