TOLEDO, Ohio – Timely outs from the pitching staff and defense highlighted a 3-0 victory by the Toledo baseball team over Western Michigan in the series opener at Scott Park on Thursday.
 
After taking the lead in the first inning, the Rockets (14-22, 8-11 MAC) held off several rallies from the Broncos (10-24, 6-10 MAC) to secure their third shutout of the season. Toledo's defense turned two double plays and the pitching staff held WMU off the scoreboard in three different innings with a runner on third and less than two outs.
 
Quoting Head Coach Rob Reinstetle
"That's a good start to the weekend. We pitched really well and turned some big double plays on defense. Tyler McKinstry was outstanding for WMU and we had to be very opportunistic on offense to score. We need to come back tomorrow and win this series."
 
Top Rocket Hitters

• Troy Sudbrook – 1-for-4, 1 RBI
• Tre Mariano – 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B
• Cole Cahill – 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B

Pitching Lines 

• Logan Jones (W, 2-2) – 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 Ks
  • Longest outing of career
• Jacob Tabor (SV, 1) – 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
  • Induced two inning-ending double plays, both with a runner on 3rd

How It Happened

• The Rockets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Troy Sudbrook RBI single.
• Logan Jones battled out of a first-and-third, no-out jam to preserve the lead in the third.
• Tre Mariano came home from third on a passed ball to make things 2-0 in the fourth.
• WMU loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but the Rockets turned a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning.
• The Rockets ended another first-and-third threat in the top of the eighth with a 6-4-3 double play.
• Cole Cahill came home on a WMU fielding error for an insurance run in the eighth.

Up Next 
The Rockets and Broncos will play the middle game of the set on Friday, April 18 back at Scott Park. First pitch is at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN+.