Box Score RICHMOND, Ky. - Junior Kailey Minarchick tossed a three-hit shutout to lead the Rockets to a 3-0 win over Austin Peay in the National Invitational Softball Championship on Friday morning. Toledo (35-22) will move on to play the loser of Eastern Kentucky and Towson. First pitch from Hood Field is slated for 4:00 p.m.

Toledo 3, Austin Peay 0
Junior Kailey Minarchick was exceptional in a three-hit shutout to record her 19th win of the season and keep the Rockets alive in the NISC.

Minarchick need just 101 pitches to retire 21 of 26 batters that she faced. The right-hander struck out four and walked just one in the complete game effort.

Offensively, junior Megan Choate went 1-for-2 with a triple and a walk, while freshman Kylie Norwood was 1-for-3 with an RBI. 

How it Happened

• Minarchick set down the first seven Austin Peay batters before issuing a one-out walk in the third inning. A bunt single and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for the Governors. A strikeout and a ground ball back to the Minarchick in the circle ended the inning with no score.
• Senior Sam Showalter led off the Toledo third with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Two deep fly outs to the outfield ended the inning with the game still scoreless. 
• Austin Peay started the fourth with a lead off double, but a heads up play by Choate at shortstop cut down the lead runner on a fielder's choice. 
• The Rockets offense found its stride in the bottom of the fifth. Choate started the inning with a lead off triple off the wall in right field before scoring easily on a deep sacrifice fly by freshman Brittney Davis.
• Junior Kaitlyn Bergman walked and senior Ashley Rausch reached on an error to put two runners aboard. Norwood lined a single up the middle to score freshman pinch runner Raelyn Nyren to make the score 2-0.
• Later in the inning, freshman Bailey Curry drew a free pass to load the bases and freshman Bekah Yenrick followed suit with an RBI walk.
• The three-run lead was more than enough for Minarchick in the late innings. Minarchick retired the final six batters she faced to close out the win.

The Rockets will wait to play the loser of the Eastern Kentucky/Towson game. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. barring bad weather.