The Toledo softball team finished the 2018 season with a 35-23 record and an NISC tournament bid.
2018 Softball Season in Review
5/21/2018 9:23:00 AM | Softball
TOLEDO, Ohio - The 2018 Toledo softball season was one to remember as the Rockets reached a multitude of milestones and gathered numerous awards and accolades throughout the campaign.
At the beginning of the season, head coach Kristen Butler wanted to reach the 30-win plateau for the first time since 1995. The Rockets reached that mark and more, finishing the season with a 35-23 overall record.
Toledo players were frequently named in the Mid-American Conference weekly awards. The Rockets had at least one player named player of the week in five straight weeks and took home seven weekly awards in total. Junior pitcher Heather Webb was named MAC West Pitcher of the Week three times (Feb. 27, March 20, April 10), junior pitcher Kailey Minarchick received the same award twice (Feb. 13, April 3) and freshman Bailey Curry was named MAC West Player of the Week two times (March 13, March 27).
UT entered MAC play with a 14-12 ledger and went on a tear to open conference play. The Rockets won their first six league series, including three-game sweeps at Akron and against I-75 rival Bowling Green.Â
Toledo finished conference action at 16-7 and clinched a share of the MAC West title, its first such championship since 1992. Coach Butler was named the conference's coach of the year and Curry was tabbed as the MAC Freshman of the Year. Curry and Minarchick were each named to the first-team All-MAC squad, while senior Ashley Rausch made the second team and freshman Kylie Norwood was selected to the all-freshman squad.
The Rockets entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. UT won its first round game against No. 6 Central Michigan on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by freshman Brittney Davis. In the loser's bracket, Toledo outlasted No. 5 Western Michigan to keep their hopes alive, but ultimately was eliminated by No. 2 Ball State. Junior Katie Cozy went 4-for-11 with a home run, a double and three runs scored to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.
During the MAC Tournament, Curry blasted a solo home run in the Rockets' 5-2 win over WMU. The homer was Curry's 14th of the season which set a new Toledo single-season home run record. The previous record holder was All-American Rhonda King, who hit 13 home runs in the 1990 season.
Toledo then received a bid to the second installment of the National Invitational Softball Championship. This was the Rockets' first postseason appearance since 1992. Minarchick tossed a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Austin Peay to give the Rockets their fifth postseason win in program history and their first since the 1989 team that made the Women's College World Series. Junior Megan Choate went 3-for-5 in the tournament with a triple, a double, four walks and a run scored. Choate, Minarchick and Cozy were each named to the all-tournament team.
The 2018 senior class of Rausch and Sam Showalter became the first class to win 100-plus games since the graduating class of 1998. Rausch and Showalter were part of 104 wins in their four years with the Midnight Blue & Gold.
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At the beginning of the season, head coach Kristen Butler wanted to reach the 30-win plateau for the first time since 1995. The Rockets reached that mark and more, finishing the season with a 35-23 overall record.
Toledo players were frequently named in the Mid-American Conference weekly awards. The Rockets had at least one player named player of the week in five straight weeks and took home seven weekly awards in total. Junior pitcher Heather Webb was named MAC West Pitcher of the Week three times (Feb. 27, March 20, April 10), junior pitcher Kailey Minarchick received the same award twice (Feb. 13, April 3) and freshman Bailey Curry was named MAC West Player of the Week two times (March 13, March 27).
UT entered MAC play with a 14-12 ledger and went on a tear to open conference play. The Rockets won their first six league series, including three-game sweeps at Akron and against I-75 rival Bowling Green.Â
Toledo finished conference action at 16-7 and clinched a share of the MAC West title, its first such championship since 1992. Coach Butler was named the conference's coach of the year and Curry was tabbed as the MAC Freshman of the Year. Curry and Minarchick were each named to the first-team All-MAC squad, while senior Ashley Rausch made the second team and freshman Kylie Norwood was selected to the all-freshman squad.
The Rockets entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. UT won its first round game against No. 6 Central Michigan on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by freshman Brittney Davis. In the loser's bracket, Toledo outlasted No. 5 Western Michigan to keep their hopes alive, but ultimately was eliminated by No. 2 Ball State. Junior Katie Cozy went 4-for-11 with a home run, a double and three runs scored to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.
During the MAC Tournament, Curry blasted a solo home run in the Rockets' 5-2 win over WMU. The homer was Curry's 14th of the season which set a new Toledo single-season home run record. The previous record holder was All-American Rhonda King, who hit 13 home runs in the 1990 season.
Toledo then received a bid to the second installment of the National Invitational Softball Championship. This was the Rockets' first postseason appearance since 1992. Minarchick tossed a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Austin Peay to give the Rockets their fifth postseason win in program history and their first since the 1989 team that made the Women's College World Series. Junior Megan Choate went 3-for-5 in the tournament with a triple, a double, four walks and a run scored. Choate, Minarchick and Cozy were each named to the all-tournament team.
The 2018 senior class of Rausch and Sam Showalter became the first class to win 100-plus games since the graduating class of 1998. Rausch and Showalter were part of 104 wins in their four years with the Midnight Blue & Gold.
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Players Mentioned
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3B
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C/1B
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3B
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CF
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1B/OF
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P
/ SoftballToledo Softball - 2025 Season Highlights
Monday, May 05
Toledo Softball vs BGSU - Battle of I-75
Thursday, May 01
Jessica Bracamonte Press Conference
Thursday, July 07
Game 2 Highlights vs. Akron (May 15)
Saturday, May 15
