Fourth-year catcher Nicholas Toro had just three home runs in his career before March 22, but his fourth will be the one that fans remember for years to come.
Toro faced a full count, down to the last out of the game. His swing of the bat sent a ball over the left field wall to complete a seven-run ninth inning and pull off the most improbable of comebacks for the University of Rhode Island baseball team.
“I just kept saying to myself, ‘Just let me get up. Let me get up,” Toro said. “My teammates just kept hitting singles, walking, having great at-bats and then I graciously got my opportunity to step into the box and then just had to do my job.”
Toro is no stranger to URI’s campus. His sister, Adriana Toro ’19, played for the softball team for two seasons after transferring from Coastal Carolina University.
“It was tough with COVID trying to get recruited because of all the eligibility given back to everyone because they lost their season,” Toro said. “I was always looking to play at URI, so it kind of worked out. Dream came true.”
Toro played in 27 games and made 16 starts in his first season. Toro finished with a .222 batting average, three doubles, two home runs and 43 putouts.
The first of his four career homers came on April 7, 2023, when the Rams traveled to Bronx, N.Y., and beat Fordham University 9-6 in 12 innings. Toro’s solo home run came in the eighth inning to bring the deficit to two and sparked Rhody’s comeback.
“It was pretty surreal,” Toro said. “Honestly, it was just an out-of-body experience hitting a home run at this level, against a pretty good Division I team as a freshman, and it was a great feeling.”
Toro looked to build upon his strong first season, but suffered a broken hand against Saint Louis University and ended his second season just 13 games in.
Toro credited the team for being there for him throughout the recovery process and for being a great support system as he looked to return to the field for the next season.
“He’s gone through a lot of injuries in his career dating back to high school, so it’s been tough,” URI Head Coach Raphael Cerrato said. “We know when he’s healthy, he’s a productive player. He’s one of the best receivers we’ve ever had and works great with the pitchers.”
Toro made his return to the lineup last season, where he played a career-high 31 games and made a career-high 23 starts. Toro finished the season with a .211 batting average, 14 RBIs, 140 putouts and a home run.
Toro’s lone home run that season once again came against Fordham. He didn’t need to provide a spark this time, as the Rams would overwhelm Fordham offensively, 15-4.
“I hit it in the same part of the field [as my first home run],” Toro said. “I feel really comfortable at that park. I don’t know why or what it is, but it felt cool just because I was a completely different person from my freshman year to my junior year.”
Toro once again dealt with injuries to start his senior season, missing the first three weeks of the year. He made his return to the lineup on March 8 against Brown University, racking up two hits, including a double and two RBIs.
“We’re trying to get as much as we can out of Nick this year,” Cerrato said. “He’s doing everything he can to just get on the field and help the team.”
Two weeks later, Toro was the hero, as his swing secured a weekend series victory over George Mason University.
“I have as much confidence in him as anyone else, even though the numbers and his career hitting might not necessarily dictate that,” Cerrato said. “I wasn’t expecting a home run, but I knew he was going to give us a really, really competitive at-bat. Just an amazing comeback with one of the biggest highlights of his career for sure.”
The Rams return to Bill Beck Field on Friday for the start of a three-game weekend series against Virginia Commonwealth University.
