RICHMOND, Ky. - The Toledo softball team saw its tremendous season come to an end with an 8-0 loss to Eastern Kentucky in the National Invitational Softball Championship on Friday afternoon.Â
The Rockets close the campaign with a 35-23 record, a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title and a berth in the postseason NISC. Toledo's 35 wins are the most for the program since 1995 and this morning's win was the Rockets' first postseason win since 1989.
"I am very proud of our team and the way they competed," said Toledo head coach
Kristen Butler. "Getting a win in the postseason is a huge step for our program and now playing in the postseason is an expectation. The NISC was great experience for our young team. Our seniors,
Ashley Rausch and
Sam Showalter, did a great job of leading our team to all of the accomplishments we've reached through the season."
Eastern Kentucky 6, Toledo 3
The Rockets found themselves in a three-run hole early in the game and could not cut into the deficit. Eastern Kentucky added single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings and added two more in the seventh to reach the final score of 8-0.
Junior
Megan Choate continued her strong weekend by going 1-for-1 with a double and a walk for UT. Juniors
Katie Cozy and
Kaitlyn Bergman also reached the hit column in defeat.
How it Happened
- A pair of walks and a three-run home run staked Eastern Kentucky to an early 3-0 advantage.Â
- Cozy ripped a double to left center with one out in the second inning and Choate followed with a walk to put two runners aboard, but the Rockets bounced into a double play to end the frame.
- Bergman singled with one out in the third and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Ashley Rausch. Again, the Rockets could not come up with a big two-out hit to plate a run.
- Toledo's third hit of the game came on a leadoff single by Choate to start the fifth. Choate was then erased on a fielder's choice to end the inning.
- Freshman Maggie McGurk and sophomore Leah Allison combined for three productive innings to close out the game in the circle.