TOLEDO, Ohio – Sophomore Luke Walton's walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning vaulted the Toledo baseball team to a 9-8 victory over Western Michigan at Scott Park on Friday.
 
The walk-off blast capped off a wild ninth inning. The Rockets (15-22, 9-11 MAC) built a 7-2 lead through eight, but the Broncos stormed back with six runs in the top of the ninth to go up 8-7. After Tre Mariano doubled with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Walton stepped up to the plate and battled back from an 0-2 count to deliver the game-winner.
 
The walk-off represented Toledo's first walk-off home run since Caden Konczak did so against Ball State on March 23, 2024. The victory gave Toledo its third-straight Mid-American Conference win and second-straight Mid-American conference series.
 
Quoting Head Coach Rob Reinstetle
"That was a roller coaster of emotions in the ninth, but a huge win for us. I'm really proud of how we battled at the plate. Mariano and Walton produced two gigantic hits. We need to control our emotions and come back tomorrow and find a way to win and sweep."
 
Top Rocket Hitters

• Luke Walton – 2-for-4, 2 HR (6), 3 RBIs, 2 R, 1 BB
  • First walk-off of career; second multi-home run game of the season (Miami, March 9)
• Kaleb Herbert – 4-for-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI
  • Career high in hits
• Brayden White – 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 2B
• Cole Cahill – 2-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, 1 R

Pitching Lines 

• Jackson Bergman – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 Ks
• Braden Curry – 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3Ks
• RJ Shunck (W, 2-1) – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 Ks

How It Happened

• Brayden White put Toledo ahead in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout.
• Luke Walton belted a home run to center field for a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
• RBI singles by Kaleb Herbert and Charlie Scholvin extended the lead to 4-0 by the end of the fifth.
• Dylan Nevar cut the lead in half with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth.
• The Rockets scored three in the bottom of the eighth on Brayden White's wall double followed by a two-run moonshot from Cole Cahill.
• Western Michigan scored six runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run double, two-consecutive hit by pitches and a two-run single to take an 8-7 lead.
• Tre Mariano doubled to put the tying run in scoring position with one out in the ninth. Walton worked to a 2-2 count before crushing his second home run of the day into the right field trees.

Up Next 
Toledo will go for the sweep on Saturday, April 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Scott Park. The series finale will again air on ESPN+.