Softball | 4/11/2015 10:43:00 AM

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo softball team helped first-year head coach Kristen Butler capture her first Mid-American Conference win on Friday afternoon, as the Rockets split their doubleheader against Ball State at Scott Park.

UT lost a pitcher's duel in game one, 1-0, and held on for a one-run victory in game two, 8-7.

In game one, the Rockets managed just four hits, led by sophomore IF Chandler Rice's 2-for-3 day at the plate. She also added a stolen base.

Freshman IF Samantha Showalter and graduate transfer SS Nichole Toven added the other two hits for the Midnight Blue & Gold.

The game was scoreless throughout the first five innings, but BSU's Leigh McAnally doubled to right center to put a runner in scoring position. India Steward came on to pinch run for McAnally and scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Selena Reyna for the game's only run.

Sophomore P Emily Anderson pitched well for the Rockets, going the distance and allowing just the one run on six hits, as well as four strikeouts. It was her 12th complete game of the year.

Game two produced more runs for both teams, as the Midnight Blue & Gold got out to an early lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single up the middle by sophomore OF Celeste Fidge, scoring junior OF Jessica Lemieux.

Fidge and Lemieux were two of four Rockets with multi-hit games, as Showalter and sophomore C Ashley Maynard both went 2-for-4 in the game.

The teams traded runs in the third inning, scoring three runs apiece in their respective halves of the inning. The big hit came on Maynard's single through the left side which scored both senior IF Allissa Turkovich and Fidge.

Toledo added two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 6-3 on a solo home run by Toven and an RBI single to center field by Showalter, scoring senior OF Alyssa Smith.

Toven's fourth inning homer was her fourth of the year to tie her for the team-lead with Fidge.

Two more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fifth for the Midnight Blue & Gold, as Lemieux singled through the right side to score freshman OF Ashley Rausch and Maynard.

The Cardinals ralled with one run in the sixth and three more runs in the top of the final frame, but Anderson closed the door to give the Rockets their first conference victory.

Anderson split pitching duties with junior Marla Gooding in game two, as the duo combined for five strikeouts in the game. Gooding earned the win, going four innings with four hits and three runs allowed, while Anderson tallied her second save of the year with three innings of work.

The Rockets continue weekend play tomorrow with a home game against Miami. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Scott Park. UT concludes the weekend with game two vs. the RedHawks on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m.