ATHENS, OH - Toledo's softball team hung tight with Ohio in a MAC doubleheader Friday, but it was the Bobcats who came away victorious both times, winning 3-2 in game one and 7-6 in eight innings in game two.
Both contests ended via walkoff hits from Ohio, as the Bobcats improved to 16-27 overall and 11-5 in the MAC. The Rockets dropped to 11-34 (3-13 MAC).
Toledo led throughout the first game. Jillian Spink blasted a two-run homer in the fourth to stake UT to a 2-0 advantage. Kate Ricchio singled through the left side to start the frame before Spink cranked her fifth homer of the spring.
The Bobcats struck back with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with nobody down. After a fielder's choice cut the lead runner at home, Ohio got on the board with a sac fly to left to make it 2-1.
The Rockets threatened to tack on an insurance run in the seventh, putting two runners on board with one down. But OU's Melissa Bonner worked out of trouble by recording the final two outs.
Bonner then doubled to lead off the seventh and went to third on a sac bunt. She scored on an RBI single to even the tally at 2-2, and after another single, Lauren Gellerman doubled down the left field line to score the game-winning run.
In game two, the Rockets trailed 6-4 entering the seventh. Melissa Rons doubled to lead off the inning and stole third as Ricchio reached on a walk. Rons came in to score on Sam Toy's groundout and Ricchio advanced to second as the deficit was trimmed in half.
After Erinn Wright reached on an error, Spink singled into right to score Ricchio and tie the game at six. The Rockets would load the bases with one out, but could not crack through with the go-ahead run.
Hannah Rockhold worked a one-two-three seventh to send the game to extras, but UT couldn't capitalize on a leadoff walk in the eighth as the score remained tied going into the bottom of the eighth. Ohio took advantage as, with one out, Bonner sent a fly to center that was deep enough to score Jordan Paden from third and end the game.
Toledo had struck first in game two, pushing three runs on the board in the top of the third. Rons reached on a throwing error, and with two down, Toy singled to left. Wright then stepped to the dish and launched a three-run shot over the wall in center.
Ohio answered with two tallies of its own in the third, putting together back-to-back RBI hits with two runners down.
The back-and-forth continued as Mica Sanchez led off the fourth with a solo shot to left, her seventh home run of the season and fifth in the past eight games. That put UT in front 4-2, a lead that was short-lived, however, as the Bobcats quickly scored twice in the bottom of the inning to tie it at four.
The score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth, when OU's Shalene Petrich hit a two-run homer that gave Ohio it's 6-4 lead.
Spink and Wright led the way for Toledo's offense with three RBI apiece in the doubleheader, while Rons and Ricchio both scored twice.
The Rockets continue MAC action this weekend as they travel to Akron for single games on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch Saturday is slated for 2 p.m., while Sunday's contest will commence at 1 p.m. from Lee R. Jackson Field.
Contact: Scott Miles
scott.miles@utoledo.edu
