Following a blown save in the ninth inning, Toledo’s Ben Hammer hit a 10th-inning home run to lift the Rockets 6-5 in Charlotte on Feb. 25.

Ben Hammer

Toledo (3-2), which had just one homer on the season, hit three home runs against the 49ers (4-2), including Hammer’s game winner. The junior centerfielder is second on the team with four RBI this season.

Senior first baseman Mark Lapikas continued his hot start to the season, going 2 for 5 with three RBI and his first home run of the season. Lapikas has a team-high .350 batting average and six RBI on the year. Freshman shortstop Dan Zuchowski also added a deep ball and scored twice against Charlotte.

Alex Radon (0-0, 4.00 ERA) benefited from four first-inning runs but left after five innings with a no-decision. The senior starter gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits in his second start of the year.

Radon gave way to classmate Tyler Scott, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief as UT took a 5-4 lead. Sophomore Cameron Palmer walked the first two batters in the eighth before the Rockets turned early to senior closer Matt Kuna (1-0), who got out of the jam. Kuna, however, allowed an unearned ninth-inning run as Charlotte pushed the game to extra innings.

After Hammer’s home run in the 10th, Kuna remained in for the bottom of the frame and pitched a perfect inning for his first win of the season.

The Rockets will take on Charlotte looking to grab its second straight road series victory at noon Feb. 26. Junior Jared Locke (0-1, 7.20 ERA) is projected to make his second start of the season in the series finale.

Tags: Alex Radon, Ben Hammer, Cameron Palmer, Charlotte, Dan Zuchowski, Mark Lapikas, Matt Kuna, Rockets baseball, Tyler Scott, Zach Davis

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 11:36 am and is filed under Baseball, College sports, Sports.
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