MUNCIE, Ind. – Toledo softball (21-30, 9-9 MAC) never trailed in its series finale at Ball State (29-21, 13-5 MAC) and downed the Cardinals, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon in Muncie, Ind.
 
Despite winning, UT was outhit 6-4 in the contest. Senior second baseman Chandler Rice (1-for-2, HR, RBI, two runs), senior outfielder Celeste Fidge (1-for-3), sophomore third baseman Katie Cozy (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) and sophomore shortstop Megan Choate (1-for-3) accounted for Toledo's hits.
 
In the circle for the Rockets, sophomore Kailey Minarchick (9-10) earned the victory by allowing pair of runs in the fourth in her fourth complete game of the season. Minarchick permitted six hits and two free bases while retiring one Cardinal in the game.
 
Rice started the game off with a lead-off walk and advanced to second off a wild pitch. After she swiped third, junior Samantha Showalter scored Rice off a grounder to the pitcher to put UT on the board.
 
Junior Kylie Gross led off the second frame by being hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to second, Gross plated Toledo's second tally off an RBI double by Cozy down the left-field line.
 
Ball State threatened in the second via walk and two hit batters with one down. The Rockets kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard after Cozy threw a runner out at home and Showalter tagged the next batter out at first.
 
Rice gave Toledo a 3-0 advantage by launching a lead-off blast to left off the first pitch of the third inning.
 
UT's offense didn't let up in the fourth and put three aboard off a fielder's choice, free base and hit batter. Rausch stepped into the box and drew a walk to force a run, and a fielding error by the BSU first baseman allowed senior catcher Ashley Maynard to cross the plate and give the Rockets a 5-0 edge.
 
The Cardinals started off the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles, and a fielder's choice loaded the bases. Dominique lined a two-out RBI double to right field to score two runners and put Ball State on the scoreboard.
 
Neither team threatened again until the Cardinals put a pair of base runners on-board in the home-half of the seventh. A sacrifice fly moved a runner to third, but a grounder to Rice at second ended the game.