Things just got a little bit easier for Kent State in the 2012 MAC Baseball Tournament. In the first of two games on Thursday, Toledo was eliminated from the tournament by Central Michigan after losing a tight 4-3 game. Toledo was ranked No. 2 in this tournament, with the aforementioned Kent State being favored, and Central Michigan held the No. 3 seed.
Patrick Kaminska had a decent outing for Central Michigan - he pitched five-plus innings of four-hit ball with one walk and three strikeouts, but there were two runs allowed on his watch. Matt Kuna for Toledo went seven-plus innings and allowed seven hits and three earned runs while hitting double digits in strikeouts with 10.
Central Michigan jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as Kuna struggled, but as noted, he did go more than seven innings and locked down after that. It took until the sixth inning for Toledo to get on the board, with Hammer and Miglin picking up RBIs before Kaminska was pulled in favor of Renzi.
Toledo would go on to tie it in the seventh innings, with a White single to right field that scored Grogg. But Central Michigan game back in the top of the ninth, when MacKenie walked to start the inning. Hall singled on a bunt that advanced MacKenzie to second, and then both runners were advanced after Dean sacrificed with a bunt. Arnold then flew out to center field which scored MacKenzie.
A one-two-three inning from Weaver in the ninth, including the second and third batters striking out looking, sealed the deal and Central Michigan advanced in the tournament with a 4-3 win.
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