KENT, OH - Toledo's softball team saw its hopes for a MAC Tournament bid dashed with a pair of setbacks at MAC East leader Kent State, falling 2-1 in the first game and 8-3 in game two Friday afternoon.
After being held hitless in the first five innings of game one, Toledo nearly rallied but fell just short in the end.
Trailing 2-0, Lindsey Tobias doubled to lead off the sixth and advanced to third on a groundout. The Rockets, though, could not bring her in, as a pair of strikeouts ended the frame.
Then, down to their final at bat with two down in the seventh, Mica Sanchez launched her eighth home run of the season, a solo shot to left, to bring the Rockets within 2-1. However, a strikeout ended the contest.
Hannah Rockhold threw her 17th complete game of the season and allowed just four hits, but was touched up for a two-run homer in the fourth to account for both of Kent State's runs. Rockhold struck out five without walking a batter.
In game two, the Golden Flashes jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings and did not look back from there en route to the 8-3 victory. UT pushed across a run in the third, as Sanchez singled home McKenna Smith for Toledo's first run.
The Rockets tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh frames. In the sixth, Smith smacked a double to left-center to score Ashley Herr, who pinch ran for Lacey LeVier after the senior hit a one-out single through the left side.
Toledo's third tally came in the last inning, as Kate Ricchio and Erinn Wright led off the inning with singles. Sanchez then singled into right to score Ricchio and give the senior catcher her third RBI of the day, but the Rockets could not follow through with any more runs.
Sanchez's eight home runs are tied for the second most in school single season history. She also moved into a fifth-place tie on the career home run list (nine).
Rockhold, meanwhile, moved into first place on the school's single-season appearance list as she started both ends of the doubleheader. The senior has appeared in 43 contests in 2010, breaking Kristy Kassotis' mark of 42 (1997). Her 131 career appearances also have her tied for Christin Chadwick (1989-92) for second all-time in school history, just one behind Tami Johnston (132, 1984-87).
The Rockets (12-37, 4-16 MAC) conclude their season with a pair of games at Buffalo. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Saturday, with the series wrapping up at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Contact: Scott Miles
scott.miles@utoledo.edu
