Rockets Kick Off Mid-American Conference Slate at Buffalo

TOLEDO, OH – The Toledo softball team will open its Mid-American Conference schedule this weekend when it travels to Buffalo, NY on March 25-26. The Rockets will first battle the Bulls on Friday at 3:00 p.m. on Nan Harvey Field. UT will return the next day for a doubleheader with the first game scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

ROCKET LEADERS
Senior OF Jessica Lemieux has been Toledo's top offensive threat this season. The Banks, OR native holds a .377 batting average and 26 hits through UT's 25 games. Lemieux has scored a team-high 14 runs and recorded 40 total bases. The senior leads the team in slugging percentage (.580), doubles (6), stolen bases (14) and walks (9).

Junior 2B Chandler Rice has tallied a team-high 10 RBI, while also recording 10 hits, four doubles and a pair of homeruns.

In the circle, senior Marla Gooding leads the Rockets with a 4.42 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched. Gooding made 18 appearances on the mound during the non-conference stretch, hurling for nine complete games and winning five.

BUFFALO BULLS BREAKDOWN
Buffalo is coming off of a pair of wins at Savannah State that broke a 13-game losing streak. The Bulls enter conference season with a 6-19 overall record for sixth-place in the MAC East.

Freshman Katie Weimer is leading the Bulls' offense with a .370 batting average after going 30-for-81 through their first 25 games. Weimer has recorded 15 runs, four doubles, three triples, and six home runs. Junior Savanna Norcio has a team-high .409 batting average after going 27-for-66 with seven doubles and two homers.

Sophomore P Charlotte Miller leads Buffalo's pitching staff with a 4.62 ERA and 19 strikeouts after 33.1 innings pitched.

TOLEDO VS. BUFFALO
The Bulls lead the series with the Rockets, 11-8. Last season, Toledo split its doubleheader against Buffalo, losing game one, 2-1, but bouncing back in the second game with a 4-3 eight-inning victory. It was the Rockets' fifth-consecutive conference series split with the Bulls.

MOREHEAD ST. & MARSHALL RECAP
Toledo dropped both games in its doubleheader with Marshall on March 15, falling 5-3 in the first game and 8-3 in the second. The Rockets fall to 4-19 on the season, while the Herd improves to 14-8.

Celeste Fidge led the Rockets' offense vs. the Herd after going 3-for-5 and recording her first home run of the season. Jessica Lemieux (2-for-8) and Chandler Rice (2-for-7) also recorded multi-hit performances against Marshall.

The Rockets split its twinbill with Morehead State on Wednesday, March 16. The Rockets defeated the Eagles, 3-2, in eight innings in the opener before falling 2-0 in game two.

Ashley Maynard led UT's offense, going 3-for-7 with a double and an RBI. Jessica Lemieux (2-for-5) and Chandler Rice (2-for-7) also both recorded multi-hit performances against the Eagles.

ROCKETS IN MAC STANDINGS
Jessica Lemieux leads the conference in stolen bases (14) and steal attempts (16). The senior is tied for sixth in doubles (6), 11th in on-base percentage (.456), 12^th in hits (26), and 14^th in batting average (.377) and total bases (40).

Megan Choate is tied for sixth in fielding double plays (5) and tied for tenth in assists (42).

Marla Gooding is fourth in the MAC in innings pitched (82.1), tied for third in appearances (18), tied for 11^th in wins (5) and fourteenth in batters struck out (35).

LOOKING AHEAD
Toledo will host its home opener next weekend vs. Miami University. UT will face the Redhawks on Friday, April 1 at 3:00 p.m. at Scott Park. The following day on April 2, the Rockets will host a doubleheader with Miami with the first game scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

Follow along to this weekend's actions on Twitter @ToledoSoftball, or click the live stats link provided.

Rockets Kick Off Mid-American Conference Slate at Buffalo

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Players Mentioned

Megan Choate

Celeste Fidge

Marla Gooding

Jessica Lemieux

Ashley Maynard

Chandler Rice

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