On Friday, Bowling Green baseball (30-14, 17-8) defeated Toledo (20-26, 10-12) 8-3 at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.

The contest the eighth time the Falcons and the Rockets have brought their rivalry to Fifth Third Field and 240th all-time meeting between the two squads.  

The Falcons have now won five consecutive games and boast an overall record of 140-100 against the Rockets all-time.

“It’s awesome. This is my first game I’ve played here [Fifth Third Field],  junior Zack Horky said postgame. “It was awesome to see all the fans from all over the place come out and support us.”  

With the victory, BG clinched their 16th 30-win season in program history and their first back-to-back 30-win seasons since 2001 and 2002.  

“These guys continue to separate themselves, and they’ll continue to prove to the people in college baseball that they are for real,” Falcons head coach Kyle Hallock said. “We’re not going anywhere, and that’s evident to us in practice.”  

Sophomore Jacob Tabor was given the starting nod for the sixth time this season for the Rockets.  

TJ Takats got the bats rolling in the first with a base hit off Tabor. Later, the sophomore swiped second and was batted home by Horky to give BG a 1-0 lead.  

Junior Jacob Turner was tasked with his 10th start of the season on BG’s side and sat down the first six batters he saw to keep the tally 1-0.  

In the top of the third, senior Gavin Gunun and sophomore Garrett Wright each got on base, bringing Horky back up to the dish. He again delivered, this time with a bloop single into left field, making it 2-0 BG.

Turner’s perfect day came to an end in the bottom of the fourth after a redshirt sophomore Troy Sudbrook two out double into left. Two pitches later, sophomore Charlie Scholvin smacked a base hit though the left side of the infield to make it 2-1.  

After the Rockets loaded the bases, Turner delivered three consecutive strikes to senior Brayden White, ending the inning.  

Sophomore Garrett Sloan led off the top of the fifth with a single. Moments later, Wright reached base due to an error and Takats laid down a sac-bunt that scored Sloan after a Tabor throwing error to make it 3-1 BG.  

After Bowling Green loaded the bases, Toledo manager Rob Reinsetle brought senior Logan Jones into the game in relief for Tabor.  

The pitching change did not phase Horky as he flew out to center to pick up another RBI and stretch the Falcon lead to 4-1.  

After another quiet Toledo inning, redshirt freshman Alex Laird reached in the sixth on a fielder’s choice, then kept his season steal success rate perfect by taking second. Immediately after, Sloan punched a ball though the infield past a diving Scholvin to score Laird, extending the Falcons lead to 5-1.  

The Falcons were not done in the inning as they proceeded to load the bases before Ganun drew a walk to pick up his 30th RBI of the season.  

Horky continued his career game by slapping a line drive into left field to score two more Falcons to bring the score to 8-1 and give Horky a new career-high with five RBI.  

To start the seventh, junior Kade Arn entered the game for BGSU. The righty worked though the inning in just 12 pitches.  

In the eighth frame, Scholvin smacked in his second run of the game to bring the deficit down to six runs, 8-2.  

To finish out the contest, freshman right-hander CJ Boudreaux was called out of the bullpen. After a quick out to start the frame, Toledo loaded the bases to stay alive in the game. White scored off of a sacrifice fly to right, cutting the deficit to 8-3.  

The game came to end after a pop cup in foul territory that was hauled in by Sloan.  

Turner pitched a career-high six innings and earned his fourth win of the season. Tabor, on the other hand, picked up his fourth loss.  

“I hope some people realize that he’s got a long future in this game. It was a great night for Jacob, and he’s working really hard to have this night go this way,” Hallock said postgame. 

Horky has recorded a hit and an RBI in seven straight games played.

“We feel really good about him out there and now his at bats are matching everything that he’s been about in practice,” Hollock said. “We couldn’t be prouder for Zach.”   

Next, the Orange and Brown will play two more games against Toledo at Scott Park in a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.