Liftoff! The Rockets are Akron Bound!

Saturday, May 7

Toledo, OH

1:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

21-31, 12-11

Ball State

22-32, 8-16

Ball State

Toledo

Seniors Jessica, Sammy and Marla will return to the MAC Championships for the first time since their freshman year in 2013

5/7/2016 5:33:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

TOLEDO, OH – The University of Toledo softball team clinched its first berth into the Mid-American Conference tournament since 2013 with its 13^th-consecutive win on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets completed its three-game sweep of Ball State with a 3-2 comeback victory on Senior Day.

Senior RHP Marla Gooding (18-15) threw all 21 innings this weekend and extended her own winning streak to 11 games.

The contest was scoreless through four complete innings until Ball State plated a pair of runs in the fifth.

The Rockets were unable to tie the score in either the bottom of the fifth or sixth frame.

Gooding retired all three Cardinal batters in the seventh to ignite some Rocket enthusiasm in the dugout. Freshman Kim Frank pinch-ran for sophomore C Kaitlyn Bergman, who had reached on a walk. Frank advanced to second on a single by junior DP Celeste Fidge. Freshman SS Megan Choate ripped a single up the middle that allowed Frank to score Toledo's first run.

Choate stole second on the next play to put two Rockets in scoring position. Junior Ashley Maynard singled to left field to knot the score at two. Senior OF Jessica Lemieux then was walked to load the bases, and senior OF Sammy Emery followed with a game-winning sacrifice fly to score Choate and end the game.

The Midnight Blue & Gold have secured a spot in the MAC championships as the No. 7 seed. UT will play No. 2 seeded Miami on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Firestone Stadium in Akron, OH.