MUNCIE, Ind. – Toledo softball (20-30, 8-9 MAC) was out-hit by Ball State (29-20, 13-4 MAC), 19-6, on Friday afternoon as they suffered a pair of defeats in Muncie, Ind. In Game 1, UT fell 2-1 without registering a hit in the contest, and though they led early in the nightcap, the Rockets eventually fell, 9-4.
 
Sophomore Heather Webb (9-6) was saddled with the loss in the opener after permitting two earned runs on six hits and 10 walks. She struck out a season-high tying seven batters in her seventh complete game.
 
Sophomore Kailey Minarchick (8-10) took the loss in Game 2 after allowing five earned runs off eight hits and four free passes. Freshman Leah Allison relieved Minarchick in the fourth and allowed four runs on five hits in three frames of relief work.
 
Ball State 2, Toledo 1
The Cardinals got into immediate business with a lead-off homer by outfielder Haley Dominique in the bottom of the first. Ball State then loaded the bases via two singles and a walk with two down. Webb retired two-consecutive Cardinals to end the inning with no further damage.
 
The Rockets answered by putting two aboard via a hit batter and a walk lin the second. Senior Chandler Rice loaded the bases on a two-out walk but a flyout to center field left all three runners stranded.
 
Junior first baseman Samantha Showalter led off the third by being hit by a pitch. Showalter advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior outfielder Celeste Fidge, and then evened the score at one run apiece after crossing the plate on a BSU fielding error.
 
Neither team was able to get much more offense going until an RBI double by second baseman Maddy Labrador gave Ball State a 2-1 edge in the sixth.
 
Sophomore Megan Choate led off the final inning for UT and put the score-tying run on first after being hit by a pitch. Choate advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Ashley Maynard and a grounder to first by Rice. Junior pitcher Carolyn Wilmes (13-9) struck out her final batter to register the victory.
 
Ball State 9, Toledo 4
Rice (2-for-4, two runs), sophomore third baseman Katie Cozy (2-for-3, RBI), junior outfielder Kylie Gross (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, run) and junior outfielder Ashley Rausch (1-for-3, RBI, run) propelled the Toledo offense in Game 2.
 
A lead-off single by Rice and a base on balls for Rausch put two Rockets on in the opening frame. Gross launched a two-out RBI double to left to score both runners and give UT a quick lead. After Gross advanced to third on a wild pitch, she scored off Cozy's RBI single to right field, giving Toledo a 3-0 advantage to start the game.
 
An infield single and two walks loaded the bases for Ball State in the bottom half of the first, and a two-out single to right field put the Cardinals on the board.
 
Neither team got much going until the Ball State offense exploded for four runs in the third off a sacrifice fly and a three-run bomb by outfielder Kennedy Wynn.
 
The Cardinals added another to their scoreboard total with an RBI single in the fourth to give them a 6-3 advantage.
 
Rice ignited Toledo's offense again in the top of the sixth with a two-out single to left. After Rice swiped second, she scored another tally off an RBI single by Rausch. Showalter put a second Rocket on with a walk but a fly-out stranded both runners.

The Cardinals extended their lead with three runs plated in the home-half of the sixth, and secured their 9-4 victory by not allowing a UT runner on in the seventh.