Rockets Even Series with 8-2 Triumph over Huskies

DeKALB, Ill. – The Toledo baseball team controlled play from start to finish and evened its weekend series at Northern Illinois with a 8-2 victory at Ralph McKinzie Field on Saturday.
 
The Rockets (24-27, 13-13 MAC) took control with a three-run first inning and extended the advantage to 6-0 with runs in fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Toledo then restored the six-run cushion with a pair of tallies in the ninth. Jackson Bergman produced a three-hitter over seven innings, not allowing the Huskies (20-30, 8-18 MAC) to reach base until the fourth, or score until the seventh. Toledo kept alive a 23-game run without consecutive losses dating back to April 6, holding a 15-8 record in that span.
 
In the road to clinch a MAC Tournament berth, Toledo remains in fifth place, two games ahead of Eastern and Western Michigan, who are tied for the final tournament position.
 
Quoting Head Coach Rob Reinstetle
“That was a nice response today after leaving 15 runners on base to lose yesterday’s game. Today we kept the foot on the gas and kept scoring to extend the lead. Jackson Bergman was sensational on the mound and suffocated their offense all day. We need to come back tomorrow and finish off this series.”
 
Top Rocket Hitters

• Charlie Scholvin – 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HBP

  • 10th multi-hit game of season; 5th consecutive game with hit by pitch; 12 hit by pitches in last nine games

• Caden Konczak – 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 HBP

  • 14th multi-hit game this season, ties team lead

• Troy Sudbrook – 2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 R

  • 11th multi-hit game this season

• Luke Leto – 2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 R

  • Eighth multi-hit game this season

• Luke Walton – 2-for-5, 2 RBIs, 2B

  • 12th multi-hit game, sixth multi-RBI game this season

Pitching Lines 

• Jackson Bergman – 7.0+ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

  • Second-straight game with 7.0 innings, ties most innings pitched this season and second-most in career

• RJ Shunck – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 Ks

How It Happened

• After back-to-back singles to start the game, Toledo scored three times in the first on an RBI groundout by Troy Sudbrook, an RBI single by Cole Cahill and a wild pitch which plated Charlie Scholvin.
• Scholvin, Luke Walton and Luke Leto each produced RBI singles in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, respectively, for a 6-0 lead.
• Down 6-1 in the eighth, the Huskies loaded the bases with nobody out, but RJ Shunck limited the damage and allowed just one run.
• Toledo added insurance runs in the ninth with Luke Walton’s sacrifice fly followed by Tre Mariano’s double.

Up Next 
The Rockets and Huskies will play the rubber match on Sunday, May 11. First pitch on Mother’s Day is at 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT.