TOLEDO, Ohio – Senior second baseman Chandler Rice's 10^th home run of the season and RBI doubles from junior center fielder Ashley Rausch and sophomore third baseman Katie Cozy proved enough to back a solid effort from sophomore Kailey Minarchick in the circle as Toledo Softball (20-27, 8-7 MAC) defeated Central Michigan, 4-2, in Game 1 of Saturday's twinbill at Scott Park. The Chippewas (26-12, 11-4 MAC) edged UT, 6-4, in the nightcap.
 
Minarchick (8-9) recorded both decisions on the day after pitching all seven frames in the opener and one in the finale. The Columbia Station, Ohio native permitted five hits and only one earned run in Game 1, and two runs off four hits in the second game.
 
Game 2 starter sophomore Heather Webb allowed three runs off three hits while striking out two in three innings of work. Webb was replaced by freshman Alissa Noble who permitted one run off two hits in three innings of relief work.
 
Toledo 4, Central Michigan 2
The Rockets jumped on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs scored in the bottom of the second. Junior catcher Kylie Gross connected on her first pitch for a single to right center. Cozy drove a hard double to the center-field fence off the next play to allow Gross to plate the first run of the game. After Cozy advanced off a single through the right side by sophomore shortstop Megan Choate, she gave UT a 2-0 edge by scoring off a wild pitch.
 
Central Michigan wasted no time answering back and evened the score at 2-2 with two runs scored off an RBI double and a UT fielding error in the top of the third.
 
Rice led-off the bottom of the frame and lined her first pitch down the right-field line for a single. A CMU fielding error put Rausch aboard on her sacrifice bunt and both Toledo runners advanced off a double steal. Rice gave the Rockets back their lead by scoring off a sacrifice fly executed by senior right fielder Celeste Fidge.
 
Rice launched a 2-1 offering over the left-field fence for her 19^th homer of her career. The Louisville, Ohio native is now tied with Rhonda King (1987-90) for fourth-place all-time at Toledo.
 
Central Michigan 6, Toledo 4
The Chippewas were the first to score in Game 2 by plating a pair of runs off a wild pitch and RBI single to left in the second inning/
 
With CMU leading 2-0, the Chips packed the bags in the top of the third on a single, walk and a hit batter. A two-out walk forced a Central Michigan tally but the Rockets got out of the inning with no further damage.
 
In the bottom half of the frame, Rice hit a lead-off single off the first pitch and advanced to second on a groundout by junior first baseman Samantha Showalter. Fidge stepped into the box and drove a two-out single to left center that allowed Rice to cross the plate and put UT on the board.
 
Cozy brought Toledo within one of the Chips by scoring off a fielding error by first baseman Kaila Fulker in the fourth.
 
Consecutive hit batters put two Rockets aboard in the home-half of the fifth. Rausch and Showalter advanced bases off a sacrifice bunt by Fidge and a throwing error by catcher Maison Kalina permitted Rausch to cross the plate and knot the score at 3-3. After Showalter advanced to third on the error, she gave UT its first lead of the game by scoring off a sacrifice fly by Gross.
 
In the top of the sixth, the Chippewas wasted no time scoring off a sacrifice fly and deadlocked the score at 4-4.  
 
The Midnight Blue & Gold put three aboard on a free base, fielding error and a hit batter in the sixth. Showalter stepped up to bat and drove a ball to third base with one down. The CMU third baseman threw Choate out at home, and then pitcher Hanna Warren retired Fidge to escape the inning.
 
CMU's Rachel Vieira lined a 1-0 offering from Noble up the middle for a single, and Sydney Heath gave the Chips a 6-4 lead off a two-run blast to center. Central Michigan continued to threaten by loading the bases off a fielder's choice, double and a free base with one down. The Rockets got out of the inning with plays at home and second base.
 
With one final chance to extend or win the contest in the seventh, Gross drove a lead-off double to right center. The junior was stranded on base after three-consecutive groundouts by the Rockets.