TOLEDO, Ohio – Three home runs highlighted a big-inning offensive attack in the Toledo baseball team's 12-1, seven-inning victory over Youngstown State at Scott Park on Wednesday.
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Tied at 1-1 in the fifth, the Rockets (23-26) struck for seven runs in the fifth inning, adding on four more in the bottom of the seventh to complete the run-rule victory over the Penguins (12-35). The seven-run fifth inning was Toledo's biggest inning of the season. The Rockets have won three-straight games and five of their last six overall.
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Toledo also eclipsed eight runs for the third-straight game, its first stretch of three-straight games of at least eight runs since reaching the mark four consecutive times from April 9-14, 2024.
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Quoting Head Coach Rob Reinstetle
"It took us a little bit to get going today, but we locked in and a great fifth inning blew the game open. We've been playing really solid baseball and need to continue this week at Northern Illinois to bolster our tournament chances."
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Top Rocket Hitters
- Caden Konczak – 4-for-4, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
- Tied season high for hits; 13th multi-hit game of the season
- Josh Cote – 1-for-3, HR (2), 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
- Game-winning home run in the fifth inning
- Cole Cahill – 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the season
- Tre Mariano – 1-for-2, HR (5), 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP
Pitching LinesÂ
- Ryan Kennedy – 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 Ks
- Ryan Hughes (W, 2-1) – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB
- Brennan McCune - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
How It Happened
- Toledo got on the board first with a Luke Walton RBI fielder's choice in the first, before Youngstown State tied things with an RBI single in the second.
- Josh Cote homered to lead off the fifth for a 2-1 lead. Then, RBI singles by Troy Sudbrook and Charlie Scholvin, plus a two-run single by Cole Cahill gave Toledo a 6-1 lead before an out was recorded.
- A YSU throwing error and a wild pitch completed the seven-run fifth inning for an 8-1 advantage.
- Tre Mariano and Caden Konczak each slugged two-run home runs in the seventh inning to end the game at a 12-1 mercy rule.
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Up NextÂ
The Rockets hit the road for the final away series of the season, heading to Northern Illinois for a three-game weekend set. Friday's opener will be at 4:00 ET on NIU All-Access.