Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Toledo scored five runs in the final three frames, including a three-run homer in the top of the eighth, as Western Michigan (21-17-1, 6-10 MAC) fell to the Rockets, 6-3, Friday at Hyames Field. Chris Lewis and Derek Mosher each had home runs for the Broncos.
Lewis gave WMU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, belting a solo homer over the fence in left field, his sixth of the year. Toledo managed to tie things up in the top of the third. Jake Swint was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an RBI-single by Dan Sherwood.
The score would stand at 1-1 through the next three innings, as both starting pitchers, WMU's Ethan Hollingsworth and UT's Justin Collop were very effective. The Broncos threatened in the sixth, when with two on and one out, the Rockets chose to intentionally walk Lewis to load the bases. Unfortunately, Western Michigan couldn't come away with a run as a pair of shallow fly outs ended the inning.
The Rockets (15-15, 8-8 MAC) put a second tally on the board in the seventh, taking a 2-1 advantage on a solo home run by Josh Johnson.
Derek Mosher answered back for Western Michigan in the home at bat. With Kyle Galbraith on second base, Mosher took a ball deep to center field, bouncing it off the batter's eye. The two-run blast was Mosher's third home run of the season.
WMU's 3-2 lead didn't stand long, as the Broncos were again burned by the long ball in the top of the eighth. After firing seven strong innings, Hollingsworth began to fade, giving up a pair of back-to-back singles. Mosher stepped to the mound in relief, only to give up a three-run homer to the first batter he faced, a three-run shot off the bat of Josh Johnson.
Toledo reliever Chris Fields kept the Broncos guessing as he threw three scoreless innings to finish out the game for UT. The Rockets added another run to their total in the top of the ninth, as WMU fell, 6-3.
Hollingsworth (4-5) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 7.1 innings. He struck out seven. Fields (2-1) scattered four hits and struck out four, earning the win.
Zach Gentile (3-for-5) led WMU with three of the Broncos' 10 hits. Lewis (2-for-3) was the only other member of the Brown & Gold to collect multiple hits.
Western Michigan and Toledo are back in action at Hyames Field tomorrow, facing off at 1 p.m. The two teams wrap-up the three-game MAC series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest.
