MUNCIE, Ind. – Toledo split its doubleheader at second-place Ball State (26-16, 20-6 MAC) on Saturday afternoon by posting a 6-4 victory in the opener before falling in the nightcap by a 14-5 margin in five innings.
 
A five-run fourth inning that began after two were out keyed the Rockets' victory in Game One.
 
"We had two outs on two pitches in the fourth and next thing you know we have five runs," Head Coach Joe Abraham said. "In most games, one big inning wins the game and it happened twice today."
 
In Game Two, the Cardinals spotted Toledo (22-18, 12-12 MAC) a 5-0 lead in the first inning but rallied for the win primarily due to a nine-run explosion in the third.
 
"In Ball State's big inning, we were hurt by the same combination that's hurt us lately," Abraham said. "That's mainly one or two defensive miscues followed by the other team taking advantage with several hits in a row. Ball State is too good of a team to give extra outs and that's what we did."
 
Freshman Annika Johnson (2-1) registered the victory in the opener by scattering eight hits and allowing three runs in 4.2 innings. Senior Erin Hunt earned her second save of the season by allowing just one hit and fanning four batters in 2.1 innings of one-run relief.
 
Leading the Rockets offensively was freshman Lauren Erickson, who tallied three hits and a team-high four RBIs. Juniors Anna Dixon and Aleah Marra also collected three hits during the twinbill.
 
Toledo will look to capture its fourth series victory of the MAC season tomorrow when it faces the Cardinals at noon at the Softball Field at First Merchant Ballfield Complex. The contest will be televised on ESPN3.
 
GAME ONE

• Toledo evened the score at 1-1 in the third on Lily Beyer's sacrifice fly to center.
• The Cardinals regained a 2-1 lead on Stacy Payton's RBI single to left field.
• The Rockets plated five runs in the fourth to take control. After Lauren Erickson went the other way to right field to put Toledo ahead 3-2, Lily Beyer expanded the Rockets' lead with an RBI single through the left side. Aleah Marra's two-run single up the middle capped off the five-run uprising.
• Ball State added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to close out the game's scoring.

GAME TWO

• Toledo carried its momentum into Game 2, scoring five runs on three hits in the first inning. Leah Munson's infield single accounted for the game's first run, and Erickson drove in two more runs with a single to right field. The Rockets tallied their final two runs in the frame on two double-steal attempts in first-and-third situations.
• The Cardinals chipped away at UT's lead with single runs in the first and second before exploding for nine runs in the third. BSU tallied 10 hits, including three doubles, in the inning.
• Ball State ended the game with three runs in the fifth, the final two coming on Amaia Daniel's two-run homer to left field.