TOLEDO, OH – Toledo softball (10-31, 3-11 MAC) will hit the road for a three-game series with Western Michigan (18-20, 9-4 MAC) on April 22-23 in Kalamazoo, MI. The Rockets will play a single contest on Friday at 3:00 p.m. before returning to Ebert Field on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.
     Senior OF Jessica Lemieux remains one of Toledo's top offensive threats this season. The Banks, OR native holds a .350 batting average with 43 hits through UT's 41 games. Lemieux has scored a team-high 24 runs and recorded 65 total bases. The senior leads the team in stolen bases (240) and total bases (65).
    Junior 2B Chandler Rice holds a .308 average. She has tallied a team-high 19 RBI and five home runs, while also recording 36 hits and 18 runs. She also leads the team in slugging percentage (.530). Rice and Lemieux are tied with a team-high nine doubles.
    Rice was selected as the MAC West Player of the Week (April 11) for her performance in Toledo's doubleheaders vs. EMU and Ohio. Rice posted a .545 batting average (6-for-11), while recording, one double, one triple, two homeruns and 15 total bases. She scored five runs, tallied five RBI and swiped three bags.
    In the circle, senior Marla Gooding leads the Rockets with a 4.31 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 139.2 innings pitched. Gooding has made 30 appearances, hurling for 14 complete games and winning eight. Freshman RHP Heather Webb (2-10) has passed Gooding with 57 strikeouts in 79.2innings. Webb recorded her first victory in Toledo's five-inning shutout against Eastern Michigan (April 5).
     Western Michigan enters the weekend series with an 18-22 overall record and a 9-4 record in the MAC. The Broncos are coming off of a 6-3 defeat by No. 18 Notre Dame on Tuesday. Last weekend, WMU swept NIU in a three-game series to move into first-place in the MAC West. The Broncos are hitting .266 as a team and they average a 3.51 ERA.
    Erin Binkowski is leading the WMU offense with a .343 batting average after recording 35 hits, five doubles, 11 home runs and 27 RBI. The Bronco's starting pitcher, Allyson Kus (13-10), currently holds a 2.38 ERA after 135.1 innings pitched. Kus has recorded 91 strikeouts and two shutouts.
     The Rockets lead the all-time series with the Broncos, 49-47. Last season, Western Michigan defeated UT, 7-5.    The Midnight Blue & Gold will return to Scott Park next Wednesday, April 27 to host a doubleheader with MAC-foe, Bowling Green. The first game is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.