Honolulu, HI – Toledo (4-11) opened the Coca-Cola Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament with a 6-5 eight-inning victory over Charleston Southern (9-10) on Friday at the University of Hawaii.
 
The Rockets jumped ahead but the lead changed hands halfway through the game. Toledo knotted the score in the seventh, forcing the contest into extra innings. UT held off the Buccaneers in the top of the frame, and Celeste Fidge scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Samantha Golden.
 
Senior 2B Chandler Rice (2-for-3) led the Rockets offensively with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Junior OF Ashley Rausch, junior 1B Samantha Showalter, senior C Ashley Maynard and Fidge each recorded a hit in the contest.
 
Rice led off for the Rockets and put UT on the board in the first with a solo blast to left field. Fidge plated a second run on a wild pitch. Fidge had reached first on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a single by Showalter.
 
Freshman Alissa Noble entered the game in the second inning to relieve starting pitcher Kailey Minarchick (2-3). Noble hit the batter with runners on first and second to load the bases. CSU ripped a single past third base that brought two runners home and tied up the game.
 
CSU took its first lead of the game on a two-run home run to center field. Minarchick re-entered the game for UT and gave up a solo home run on the next pitch.
 
Rice started off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left-center and Rausch reached first on a walk. Fidge brought both runners home with a double to deep center to bring UT within one, 5-4.
 
In the seventh inning, the Rockets loaded the bases on a single, fielder's choice and a CSU error. The Buccaneers walked Rice to knot the score at five runs apiece and send the game into extra innings.
 
The international tie-breaking rules put a runner on second to start off the eighth inning for CSU. The Buccaneers flied out to junior OF Marriah Wise in center field and popped out to freshman 3B Samantha Golden to record two quick outs. Wise ended the inning with a diving catch in center field.
 
Fidge began the home half of the eighth on second base and advanced to third on an out at first. Golden ended the game with a sacrifice fly that allowed Fidge to cross the plate.
 
Minarchick secured the win after throwing for 4.1 innings. The sophomore allowed three runs on two hits.
 
The Midnight Blue & Gold will return to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium tomorrow for a pair of contests against Seattle and host Hawaii.