TOLEDO, Ohio - Junior
Kailey Minarchick tossed 7.1 scoreless innings to lead the Rockets to a pair of wins over Northern Illinois on Friday at Scott Park. Toledo was victorious with scores of 3-0 and 5-3 to move to 28-14 overall and 12-2 in conference.
Minarchick was the pitcher of record in both of the Rockets' wins. With two wins added to her ledger today, Minarchick is now 15-4 on the season.
Toledo 3, Northern Illinois 0
The Rockets scored three unearned runs in the second inning and that was all they would need with Minarchick in the circle. Minarchick scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and punched out three in 6.0 shutout-innings of work.
Bailey Curry continued her strong freshman campaign with a 3-for-4 game and drove in a run. Senior
Ashley Rausch and freshman
Brittney Davis were also credited with an RBIs in the contest.
How it Happened
- Northern Illinois put four runners on base, three via hit batters, in the opening two innings. Minarchick steadied the ship to leave two stranded in each frame and keep the game scoreless.
- Toledo rallied in the second with the help of shoddy defense from NIU. Freshman Bekah Yenrick kicked off the inning with a single and junior Katie Cozy reached on an error. Freshman Kylie Norwood walked with two outs to load the bases and extend the inning.
- Curry drove in Yenrick for her 40th RBI of the season with a base hit through the box. Senior Ashley Rausch was hit for the team-leading eighth time to force in another run. Davis then walked with the bags still full to plate the Rockets' third and final marker.
- Minarchick retired eight of the next nine Huskie hitters she faced to breeze through the middle innings.
- Two singles and two stolen bases gave NIU a scoring chance in the sixth inning. A timely strikeout and a fly ball to center field with the wind blowing in was enough the keep the Huskies at bay.
- Junior Heather Webb worked around a pair of walks in the top of the seventh to record her second save of the year and close out the win.
Toledo 5, Northern Illinois 3
The Rockets battled back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-3 lead and held on to sweep the day's doubleheader. Toledo collected just five hits but turned two Northern Illinois errors into three unearned runs.
Freshman
Kylie Norwood went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored to lead UT offensively.
How it Happened
- Northern Illinois put Toledo in a 2-0 hole in the second inning. A walk and a hit-by-pitch put two runners on with one out. The big hit in the inning came in the form of a two-out, two-run double down the left field line.
- The Rockets pulled even with two tallies in the fourth. Bailey Curry walked, Brittney Davis singled and Bekah Yenrick walked to load the bases of freshmen with no outs. Junior Megan Choate walked to force in a run and junior Kaitlyn Bergman reached safely on an error to tie the score.
- NIU regained the lead, 3-2, in the next half inning on its second RBI double of the game.
- The Huskies' poor defense came back to bite them again in the sixth. Freshmen Ebony Garza and Taylor Weekly reached on a walk and single, respectively. Norwood doubled to left center to score Garza and tie the score at 3-3. A sharp ground ball hit by Curry was misplayed and allowed both Weekly and Norwood to score on the play.
- Minarchick was lights out again in the second game. She recorded the final three outs in order to end the game and secure the Rockets' fifth-straight series win.
The Rockets and the Huskies are scheduled to finish the series tomorrow at 1:05 p.m.
