Toledo, Ohio - Toledo Softball opens its season tomorrow at the UNI-Dome Classic at the University of Northern Iowa (Feb. 8-10) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Rockets are scheduled to play five games over the weekend, three of which will be streamed live on ESPN3, with live stats available for each contest. Streaming and stat links for every game can be found here.
 
The Midnight Blue and Gold will face competition from UNI, Drake, Southeast Missouri State and Saint Louis.
 
The Rockets' toughest competition over the weekend will likely come from Drake and UNI. The Bulldogs finished the 2018 season ranked 31st in the nation and have been picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference this year. The Panthers finished sixth in the MVC last season and were bumped from the conference tournament in the first round, but have been picked to finish third in 2019.
 
Last Time in Cedar Falls
Toledo started the 2017 season at the UNI tournament, playing UNI, Wisconsin, South Dakota State, Montana and Nebraska-Omaha. The Rockets only won one of its games that weekend, a convincing 17-5 thrashing of UNO in the final game. Heather Webb got the win after tossing 4.1 innings that featured four strikeouts, 12 hits and five walks. Kailey Minarchick earned the save.
 
2018 Season Recap
Last year, UT reached 30 wins for the first time since 1995, finishing the 2018 campaign with a 35-23 (16-7 MAC) record and a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title. First baseman Bailey Curry became the first Toledo softball student-athlete to earn MAC Freshman of the Year. Curry and junior pitcher Kailey Minarchick were each named to the First-Team All-MAC squad as well, while senior Ashley Rausch made the second team and freshman Kylie Norwood was selected to the All-Freshman squad.

The Rockets also knocked off a couple of school records, scoring the most runs (258) and homers (44) last season while recording the best slugging percentage (.404) in program history. 
 
Returning Rockets
Norwood is Toledo's top offensive returner and is coming off an impressive freshman year in which she compiled the team's third-highest batting average (.306), recorded the second-most hits (56), led the team in runs (39), brought in the third-most runners (21) and recorded a .410 OBP. She's joined by senior Katie Cozy, whose slash line read .263/.303/.450 at the end of the year. Cozy also paced the lineup in doubles (14), and recorded the third-most RBIs (22).
 
Also returning are seniors Megan Choate (.244/.374/.457) and Kaitlyn Bergman (.223/.340/.446). Collectively, these four were responsible for 41 percent of the team's total bags (256-616). In total, Toledo returns eight-of-12 starters and 15-of-22 letterwinners. UT welcomes seven new faces to the program as well.
 
Scouting the Competition
Drake returns seven starters and 12 letterwinners from last season, including top contributors in defending MVC Player of the Year Mandi Roemmich and All-MVC second-team selection Macy Johnson. Roemmich started every game for the Bulldogs and hit a team-high .356 (64-for-180) with 34 runs, 23 RBIs, 12 doubles and 83 total bases. Johnson started 50 of 55 games and hit for .345 (50-for-145) with 21 bags, 23 RBIs and 65 total bases.
 
The Panthers return eight starters and 11 letterwinners. UNI's lineup includes All-MVC first-team and MVC All-Defensive team selection Sammey Bunch. Bunch hit .341 (60-for-176) in 52 starts, recording 30 runs, 10 doubles, five homers and 31 RBIs. The shortstop slugged .506 and earned a .408 OBP.
 
UNI-Dome Classic  
Cedar Falls, Iowa – Feb. 8-10
Toledo Game Times (all times EST):
Fri. vs UNI - 6 p.m.
Fri. vs Drake - 8:15 p.m.
Sat. vs Drake - 3:45 p.m.
Sat. vs SMS - 8:15 p.m.
Sun. vs Saint Louis - 10 a.m.