Honolulu, HI – Toledo (7-12) captured the Mahilini Kipa Aloha Tournament title after defeating Seattle University (5-14), 6-2, on Sunday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in Honolulu. The Midnight Blue & Gold advanced to the championship game after besting Charleston Southern (10-13), 7-5, in the semifinals earlier in the day.
 
Sophomore Kailey Minarchick (3-4) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher after collecting two wins and two saves. Senior 2B Chandler Rice, senior C Ashley Maynard and junior OF Ashley Rausch were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts over the weekend.
 
Semifinal game vs. Charleston Southern (W, 7-5)
Pacing the Rockets offensively was junior OF Courtney Heinritz, who went 2-for-3 and junior OF Marriah Wise, who went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs scored. Maynard (1-for-2) plated a pair of runs and recorded her sixth home run of the season.
 
Freshman RHP Alissa Noble (2-3) allowed three hits and struck out two in 3.0 innings while recording her second victory of the season. Minarchick picked up her fourth save of the year after throwing 2.0 frames and not allowing a hit.
 
The Buccaneers struck first as Amanda Matsumoto crossed the plate on an RBI single to left field by Cheyenne Gandara in the opening frame. Maynard evened the score in the following inning with a solo bomb to right center.
 
Noble entered the game at the top of the third to relieve starting pitcher Heather Webb. Webb allowed three hits and walked two batters in two innings pitched. CSU then managed to regain the lead with a two-run shot over the left-field fence by Mallory Kasinger.
 
Toledo answered back with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame to knot the score again. Wise reached first on a bunt and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rice. The junior then swiped both third and home to put UT within one. Rausch tied the score 3-3 when she crossed the plate on an error by the CSU catcher.
 
Charleston Southern added one in the fourth for what would be its last lead in the contest. Matsumoto reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and advanced home on a Toledo error.
 
Freshman Maddie Emery evened the score for a third time in the bottom of the fourth. Maynard walked and Heinritz reached on a bunt to put two runners on. Emery entered the game to pinch hit for Wise and connected to score Maynard. Emery advanced to second base on a fielder's choice and Heinritz scored on an error by the catcher. Wise re-entered to run at second and Rausch brought her home by a sacrifice fly to put UT up, 6-4.
 
Kasinger's second homer of the game in the fifth brought Seattle within one but Wise extended Toledo's lead with her third run scored off of the Redhawks' fifth error.
 
Championship game vs. Seattle (W, 6-2)
Freshman Samantha Golden led UT offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double. Rausch tallied a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Rice scored twice and notched an RBI.
 
Toledo jumped into a 1-0 lead when Rice scored on a passed ball. The senior had reached on an error by the third baseman, moved to second when Rausch was hit by a pitch, and advanced to third when Showalter connected for a sacrifice bunt.
 
After two scoreless innings by both squads, the Rockets busted the doors open with a five-run performance in the fourth. Heinritz was the first to cross the plate after an error by the Seattle third baseman brought her home from second. Wise soon followed when she scored on a single up the middle by Rice, who followed suit with a run scored on a double by Rausch. Rausch and junior 1B Samantha Showalter plated the last two runs of the frame on Seattle's fifth error of the game.
 
The Redhawks finally got on the board with a pair of runs scored in the fifth on an RBI single and a bases-loaded walk.
 
All-Tournament Team
Mallory Kasinger, Charleston Southern
Kaylee Ree, Seattle U
Nicole Bolasky, Seattle U
Ashley Maynard, Toledo
Ashley Rausch, Toledo
Sarah Muzik, Hawai'i
Dana Thomsen, Hawai'i
Chandler Rice, Toledo
Alyson Matriotti, Seattle
Andie Larkins, Seattle
Stephanie Bergmann, Charleston Southern
Most Outstanding Pitcher - Kailey Minarchick, Toledo