Rockets Steal Saturday Double Header

Saturday, April 16

Toledo, OH

NOON

Kent State University

14-15, 8-8

University of Toledo (7 Innings)

16-17, 10-11

Kent State

Toledo

Photo by: David Dermer

4/16/2022 6:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

TOLEDO, OHIO- The Golden Flashes suffered a pair of walk-off losses against Toledo on Saturday, with Toledo taking game one 8-7 and game two 5-4 in 10 innings.

GAME ONE | TOLEDO 8 KENT STATE 7

Kent State jumped out early in game one, scoring in each of the first three innings to build a 4-0 lead. Justin Kirby scored on a wild pitch in the first then teamed up with Mack Timbrook as each hit a run-scoring double in the second. Collin Mathews capped the early run with his second homer of the series, a solo shot to left.

Ben Cruikshank got the ball to start game one and cruised through the first five innings. He ran into a little trouble in the sixth and tossed the first 5.1 innings allowing two runs and striking out six. The Toledo rallied continued against the bullpen, striking for three more runs to take a 5-4 lead heading into the seventh.

The Flashes answered right back. Mike McNamara opened the inning with a single. One batter later, Justin Miknis sent a 2-0 curveball over the right field wall to give Kent State back the lead at 6-5. Mack Timbrook and Josh Johnson kept the rally going with doubles, with Johnson's scoring Timbrook to give Kent State a 7-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The back-and-forth game continued in the bottom of the seventh. After a walk and a hit by pitch, a double made it 7-6 and put runners on second and third. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, a single down the left field line brought home the tying and winning runs.

GAME TWO | TOLEDO 5 KENT STATE 4 (10)

In the nightcap, it was the Rockets who jumped out to an early lead, scoring two in the first inning. That would be it for the scoring as Jordan Power for Toledo and Eric Chalus for Kent State settled into the game. Chalus sent down 14 in a row at one point and tossed seven strong innings, allowing three runs while striking out 10. The lefty has now struck out 10-plus batters in back-to-back games and is the first Kent State pitcher to accomplish the feat since Joey Murray in 2019.

The Flashes stormed back in the seventh. A walk and an error put two runners on for Josh Johnson. The left fielder tied the ball game, homering to left center on a 3-1 offering. Pinch hitter Jake Casey made it two homers in his last two games, giving the Flashes a 4-3 lead on a homer over the right field wall.

It stayed 4-3 into the bottom of the ninth inning. Toledo was able to manufacture the tying run, using a lead-off walk, sacrifice bunt and groundout to put the tying run on third with two out. The Rockets were able to tie the game off a wild pitch, sending the game to extras. In the 10^th, Toledo got a one-out double and followed that up with a game-winning single.

The losses put the Flashes at 13-17 overall and sit at 8-9 in the MAC. Toledo is now 17-17 overall and 11-11 in the conference. The teams will wrap-up the series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.