AVON, Ohio – The Toledo baseball team will play in the 2025 MAC Tournament Championship Game against Miami after eliminating Kent State in a 6-2 triumph over the Golden Flashes at Crushers Stadium on Saturday.
 
The Rockets (32-28) controlled play from start to finish, taking a 3-0 lead by the third inning, and never allowing the Golden Flashes to get closer than two the rest of the way. Luke Leto's two-run home run in the eighth inning provided insurance to push to a 6-2 advantage. The pitching duo of Ryan Hughes and Ryan Kennedy were dominant all evening, combining to allow just two hits to the Golden Flashes.
 
The Rockets will play in their third MAC Tournament Championship Game in program history and their first since 2009. Toledo won its third-straight elimination game of the tournament and its fourth tournament win is the most in program history.
 
The Rockets, coming from the elimination bracket, will need to win two games against the RedHawks to secure the first championship in program history. First pitch will be at noon on Sunday, May 25 on ESPN+.
 
Quoting Head Coach Rob Reinstetle
"I can't express how happy I am for this team. What we did today was simply amazing. The pitching was outstanding in game one and Kennedy and Hughes were magnificent against arguably the best offense in the MAC tonight. Our offense just doesn't give in and has been awesome all week. We're playing for a championship and we'll need everyone to win two more tomorrow."
 
Top Rocket Hitters

• Luke Leto – 3-for-4, HR (7), 2 RBIs, 2 R, 1 SB
  • Third multi-hit game of the tournament
• Troy Sudbrook – 2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 SB
• Caden Konczak – 1-for-5, HR (13), 1 RBI, 1 R
  • Third home run of the tournament
• Brayden White – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs

Pitching Lines 

• Ryan Kennedy – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 8 Ks
  • Career high in strikeouts, stranded eight Kent State baserunners
• Ryan Hughes – 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 Ks
  • Did not allow a baserunner

How It Happened

• The first two Rockets singled in the second inning and both came around to score on Brayden White's RBI knock to put Toledo up 2-0.
• Caden Konczak launched his third home run of the tournament in the third for a 3-0 lead before Hayden Jatczak responded to the opposite field to put Kent State on the board. Before Jatczak's homer, Brayden White caught a runner stealing at third base.
• Toledo took advantage of two Kent State fielding errors in the fifth and scratched across a run on Troy Sudbrook's RBI single.
• Kent State loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but Ryan Kennedy struck out the side and ended the threat with just one run allowed to keep the lead at 4-2.
• Luke Leto capped the scoring by clobbering a two-run home run to right for a 6-2 lead.