AVON, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team will continue its run in the 2024 MAC Baseball Championship after scoring the first six runs of the game to power its way past Kent State in an 8-2 final at Crushers Stadium on Thursday.
 
Toledo will now play at either 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. If either Bowling Green or Western Michigan wins today, the Rockets will face the loser of Bowling Green and Miami at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Should both BGSU and WMU lose today, the Falcons and Broncos will meet at 10:00 in an elimination game and Toledo will then face the winner at 2:00 p.m.
 
The Rockets (26-31) used a four-run fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead, which was all the scoring Toledo needed to knock Kent State (27-27) out of the tournament. UT put up at least eight runs in all four games against Kent State this season.
 
"Proud of the response by our team today and the way we bounced back after facing the MAC Pitcher of the Year yesterday," said Head Coach Rob Reinstetle. "We knew before the tournament we could play with anyone but needed to keep pitching well and get our bats going. We did both today. Noah Johnson gave us an outstanding veteran start and Cam Szynski did his job out of the bullpen. Offensively, we came alive and Garret Pike and Caden Konczak both had big days at the plate."
 
Junior Caden Konczak went 3-for-5 on the afternoon with two runs scored and an RBI. Classmates Garret Pike and Brayden White along with freshman JP Wagner each added two hits. Pike had two RBIs and two runs scored, White added an RBI and scored a run, and Wagner also scored a run. Toledo also received two RBIs from freshman Charlie Scholvin, along with one each from junior Trey Wright and redshirt freshman Luke Walton.
 
Senior Noah Johnson (4-3) delivered 5.1 superb innings, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out six without a walk. Senior Camryn Szynski earned his fourth save, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out two batters to finish off the final 3.2 frames.
 
"Today was a great team win to stay alive and fight another day," said Reinstetle. "We'll need that same approach tomorrow to keep it rolling."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Caden Konczak doubled to lead off the game, advanced to third on a groundout and came home on a Luke Walton sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
• With two on and one out in the fifth, Brayden White singled to right to bring home a run. Konczak then beat out an infield single to extend the inning and increase the margin to 3-0. Garret Pike then came up and lined a two-run home run to right for a four-run inning and a 5-0 lead.
• Trey Wright drilled a solo home run to right for a 6-0 lead in the sixth.
• Kent State got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run, cutting the lead to 6-2.
• Charlie Scholvin closed the game's scoring with a two-run single to left-center, giving Toledo an 8-2 lead in the ninth.