KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Toledo softball team split a pair of games on the first day of the Tennessee Invitational on Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The Rockets defeated South Alabama, 4-3, to run their winning streak to five games before falling to No. 5 ranked Tennessee, 6-2. With the split, Toledo's record goes to 8-4 on the year.

Toledo 4, South Alabama 3
Toledo took the lead first with two runs in the top of the fourth inning, gave up the lead in the next half inning and was able to retake the lead for good with a pair of runs in the late innings. Senior Sam Showalter went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs including the game-winning RBI single in the visiting half of the sixth. Freshman Taylor Weekly and sophomore Samantha Golden both recorded a hit, an RBI and scored a run in the win. Freshman Kylie Norwood was 1-for-4 and extended her hitting streak to an even 10 games.

Junior Heather Webb was credited with the win following 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. Junior Kailey Minarchick, who started the game, returned to the circle to lock down her second save of the year.

How it Happened

• South Alabama threatened in the very first inning with a Toledo error and a walk creating a scoring chance. Minarchick was able to punch out the final batter of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
• Toledo's bats were quiet early and the Rockets had just a single by junior Kaitlyn Bergman and a walk to junior Megan Choate the first time through the lineup. 
• Bergman singled again to start the Toledo fourth and was pinch run for by freshman Raelyn Nyren. Nyren stole second and was able to score easily on a two-out RBI double by Weekly. Showalter followed suit and plated Weekly with an RBI single to give Toledo a 2-0 edge.
• A leadoff walk and back-to-back one-out singles sparked the USA offense in the bottom half. Minarchick was lifted in favor of Webb, but two more singles chased home three runs to give South Alabama a 3-2 lead in the middle innings.
• Freshman Brittney Davis singled to third base to begin the sixth and was sacrificed to second by Bergman. Golden was then called on to pinch hit and delivered with an RBI double to center to tie the score. Later in the inning, it was Showalter again with another RBI single that proved to be the difference in the game. 
• Minarchick returned with one out in the sixth to record the five-out save.

No. 5 Tennessee 6, Toledo 2
Junior Megan Choate connected for her first home run of the season as part of Toledo's two-run third inning, but it was not enough as the nationally ranked Volunteers went on to win their 10th-straight game.

Freshman Taylor Weekly walked and singled, freshman Bailey Curry and senior Ashley Rausch each notched base hits and freshman Ami Ill singled in a pinch hit appearance for the Rockets five hits on the night.

The Rockets used four pitchers in attempt to keep Tennessee off balance, with some success. Toledo allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits in the nightcap. Junior Heather Webb was tagged with the loss.

How it Happened 

• Tennessee wasted no time jumping out if front of Toledo. With two outs in the first inning, a walk and an RBI double brought in the evening's first run.
• The Rockets tied the game on Choate's home run that landed in the netting in front of the stadium scoreboard. 
• Later in the third, Toledo took the lead momentarily. Freshman Kylie Norwood reached on an error, Rausch singled and a Volunteer error allowed Norwood to race all the way home from first.
• The Vols knotted things at 2-2 in the home half of the third. An error and a bunt single put two aboard with no outs. Tennessee's Chelsea Seggern drove her second RBI double of the game down the left field line to even the score.
• Toledo's defense eroded in the fourth inning and Tennessee took advantage of its opportunities. The Volunteers scored four runs in the inning, three of which were unearned, to reach the final score of 6-2.
• Sophomores Leah Allison and Alissa Noble were sharp in the circle. The combination threw 2.2 scoreless innings on two hits and a walk.

The Rockets will look to start a new winning streak tomorrow (March 3) as they take on Charleston Southern at 10:00 a.m. A four-team bracketed tournament will follow with championship and consolation games being played on Sunday.