Edwardsville, Ill – A two-run first inning wasn't enough on Saturday afternoon at the SIUE Tournament as Toledo (11-19) fell to Northern Kentucky (5-13), 4-2.
 
Freshman Leah Allison started In the circle for the Rockets and was replaced by freshman Alissa Noble after 2.0 innings. Noble (2-5) was dealt the loss after allowing a pair of earned runs on two hits in one frame. Sophomore Heather Webb entered the contest midway through the fourth and permitted only one run on three hits while striking out four in 3.0 innings of work
 
Senior OF Celeste Fidge led the Toledo offense by going 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored.
 
Toledo was the first to strike and set an early tone in opening inning. With junior OF Ashley Rausch on second on a walk and stolen base, Fidge stepped into the box and launched an RBI double to right. Sophomore Katie Cozy kept things going by lacing an RBI triple to the right field fence, plating Fidge to stake the Rockets to a 2-0 lead.
 
The Norse wasted no time cutting their deficit in half as third baseman Sidney Ferrante scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first.
 
Neither team threatened until the bottom of the fourth as Northern Kentucky managed consecutive doubles to plate a run and even the score. A couple of Toledo errors after a NKU single to left field granted the Norse a 3-2 advantage.
 
Senior 2B Chandler Rice got UT off to a promising start in the fifth with a double to left but was stranded. NKU then extended its lead in the same inning off a two-out RBI single by center fielder Ava Lawson.
 
Toledo was down to one last chance to extend or win the contest in the seventh. Freshman Samantha Golden lined a leadoff double to right while pinch-hitting for junior Kylie Gross. Gross re-entered the game to run at second but her next three teammates were unable to bring her home.