The Massachusetts baseball team opened its three-game Mid-American Conference series against Toledo with a 5-0 loss, failing to score for the first time this season.
The Minutemen’s (4-3, 0-1 MAC) right-hand starting pitcher, Callen Powers, had a strong showing on the mound on 97 pitches thrown through 6.1 innings of work. The 6-foot-5 junior faced 27 batters, allowed seven hits, one walk, allowed one run and had seven strikeouts.
“[Powers] continues to set the tone on the mound,” co-head coach Brandon Shileikis said. “He goes about [pitching] like a professional.”
The Rockets (4-8, 1-0 MAC) opened the scoring in the fourth inning. Toledo had its back against the wall with two outs early on. Momentum shifted when the Rockets strung together three straight singles by designated hitter Luke Walton, catcher Jacob Payne and left fielder Saborn Campbell, who drove in Walton to score the eventual winning run.
Payne and Walton have been among Toledo’s offensive leaders, both batting .303 and combining for 13 RBI and scoring 11 runs.
UMass scored no runs, but center fielder Ty Fox continued to impress at the plate with two hits in four at-bats. Fox singled up the middle with two outs in the first inning and singled to right field in the top of the third. The speedy redshirt freshman also stole second after his second single.
“[Fox has] stayed consistent in the strike zone, which was really exciting to see,” co-head coach Max Weir said.
Fox has been having a productive season so far at the plate, batting .500 with 8 hits, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs.
The Minutemen got plenty of runners on base early on but could not drive in runs. In the top of the second with two outs, catcher Ryan Kolben and right fielder Vance Bonior each hit singles, but shortstop Anthony Tirado struck out swinging with two runners on base.
UMass’ offensive success was also minimal later in the game as the Minutemen had 10 straight outs from the top of the fifth until the eighth inning. Tirado snapped the rough streak with a single to second base.
The Rockets’ pitching staff combined for a shutout, its first of the season. Nathan Leininger started the game and went six innings, allowing four hits and one walk in addition to striking out six UMass batters to drop his ERA to 1.57 through four starts. Hayden Frey closed the game for Toledo, striking out two and allowing one hit, notching his first save of the season.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockets had five straight reach base on a pair of hits and walks. Payne singled to left field to secure an RBI to score Troy Sudbrook. JP Wagner grounded out to first, scoring Walton. Campbell and Payne then scored on a wild pitch by Minutemen relief pitcher Gavin Sitarz.
Sitarz allowed runs for the first time this season after making two scoreless appearances against Mount St. Mary’s and Siena. The graduate student has struck out four batters in 4.2 innings of work so far this season and will carry a 7.71 ERA into the rest of the weekend.
“[The Toledo series] is a good test,” Weir said. “They’re a good team, but I’m confident in our group.”
UMass will play the Rockets on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m. in search of its first MAC win.
Brennan McGrevy can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @BMcgrevy.
