BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Toledo softball team wrapped up its non-conference season on Sunday with a pair of victories over Saint Francis (Pa.) and Gardner-Webb in Boling Springs, N.C.  The Rockets opened the day with a 3-2 (8 inn.) triumph over the Red Flash before capping things off with a 10-3 win over the host Bulldogs.

"All in all it was a fantastic weekend for us," said Head Coach Joe Abraham after his squad won four of five games to improve its overall record to 10-6. "A 10-hour bus ride home goes down a lot easier with a doubleheader sweep."

The first game was a pitcher's duel for the first four innings before the Red Flash broke through for two runs in the top of the fifth on Lindsay Ward's two-run single. Toledo immediately answered though on RBI groundouts from sophomore Macey Moore and freshman Lexi Eckman.

Senior Dayna Denner's walk-off one-out single scored Eckman with the winning run in the eighth.

"Our win over Saint Francis was huge because we were down 2-0 against their stud pitcher," Abraham said. "We just battled and battled and executed perfectly in the eighth inning to score the winning run."

Senior Erin Hunt (6-3) earned the victory against the Red Flash, with junior Aleah Marra collecting a team-high two hits.

Toledo erupted for seven runs in the first inning in its second game vs. Gardner-Webb. The Rockets registered just two hits in the inning and took advantage of four walks and two Bulldog errors.

"I couldn't be more proud of how we came out in the second game," Abraham said. "We had to sit and wait for almost two hours, which can be draining, especially after a tight, extra-inning win."

Sophomore Riley Mohr tacked on two more runs for UT with a home run to left-center in the fifth. Denner blasted a homer to left-center in the sixth to cap off the Rockets' scoring.

Sophomore McKenna Schmidt (3-0) picked up the victory over the Bulldogs by striking out six batters and allowing seven hits and two runs over 5.0 innings.

Abraham and the Rockets will now set their sights on opening Mid-American Conference play with a four-game series at Kent State next weekend.

"We've had several extra-inning games already this season and most of our other games have been close," Abraham said. "Those types of experiences keep piling up and that's what we wanted from our non-conference season. We are also starting to get more good outings from our entire pitching staff, which will be key in conference play."