TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo softball team (25-20, 15-14 MAC) will close out its 2021 season by playing eight games this week.

The Rockets will play a doubleheader at Western Michigan (12-32, 8-22 MAC) on Tuesday, May 11 before hosting Central Michigan (16-26, 14-18 MAC) on Wednesday, May 12 and Akron (8-40, 7-27 MAC) in a four-game series on Friday-Sunday, May 14-16 at Scott Park.

Toledo enters its final week in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference standings, one game behind third-place Kent State (22-25, 18-15 MAC) and a half-game in front of fifth-place Ohio (20-21, 16-16 MAC).
 
Tuesday, May 11
at Western Michigan (DH), 1:00 p.m.
 
Wednesday, May 12
vs. Central Michigan (DH), 1:00 p.m. | ESPN3
 
Friday, May 14
vs. Akron, 3:00 p.m. | ESPN3
 
Saturday, May 15
vs. Akron (DH), 1:00 p.m. | ESPN3
 
Sunday, May 16
vs. Akron, 12:00 p.m. | ESPN3
 
LAST TIME OUT
Toledo won three of four games last week by splitting a doubleheader (12-5, 1-3) at Central Michigan on Tuesday before sweeping a twin bill (10-5, 9-1) at Western Michigan on Wednesday.

Junior Aleah Marra led the Rockets in the four games with a .500 batting average (7-of-14), with sophomore Leah Munson (7-of-15) and senior Dayna Denner (4-of-9, 5 BB, 1 HBP) also hitting .400 or better. Denner and sophomore Macey Moore tallied a team-high six RBIs, while Munson scored a team-high five runs with five RBIs. Freshman Lauren Erickson also hit .364 with four runs scored and four RBIs.

Senior Erin Hunt (17-12) earned the victory for the Rockets in Game One vs. CMU. Munson paced Toledo's attack with three hits in addition to scoring a pair of runs. Moore drove in a team-high three runs on two hits, while Denner notched two RBIs with a double and single. The Rockets were limited to just four baserunners in Game Two with junior Anna Dixon, Moore and Munson registering singles and Denner reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Freshman Annika Johnson (2-2) took the loss in the nightcap after allowing four hits and three runs in three innings. Junior Makenna Durieux gave the Rockets a chance to rally by throwing three scoreless frames of four-hit relief.

On Wednesday in Kalamazoo, Toledo exploded offensively to register a doubleheader sweep over Western Michigan. Toledo trailed 4-0 after two innings in the opener but erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning to take control. The Rockets then carried over their momentum into the nightcap by jumping out to a 7-0 advantage after two innings. Hunt (18-12) and Durieux (2-4) picked up the victories in the circle for the Rockets. The duo allowed just one earned run in the two contests. Marra paced the Rocket attack during the twin bill, collecting five of UT's 19 hits in her first two games serving as the leadoff hitter. Also enjoying strong offensive outings were Munson (3 hits, 3 RBIs), Denner (2 2Bs, 4 RBI), Erickson (3 RBI) and sophomore Lily Beyer (2 RBI).
 
ROCKETS IN THE MAC RANKINGS
• Toledo ranks third with a .299 batting average, a .374 on-base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage and is tied for sixth with 28 home runs.
• Dayna Denner is tied for second in the MAC with 13 home runs, one behind Buffalo's Anna Aguon. Denner is also first with a .447 batting average and .911 slugging percentage, second with a .569 on-base percentage and 16 doubles and third with 30 walks.
• Riley Mohr ranks fourth in the MAC with a .500 on-base percentage.
• Erin Hunt ranks third in the MAC with 18 victories. She ranks second with 181.2 innings pitched and second with 20 complete games.
 
 REVIEWING THE ROCKETS
• Senior third baseman Dayna Denner tops Toledo in batting average (.447), hits (55), runs (28), doubles (16), home runs (13), RBIs (36), slugging percentage (.911) and on-base percentage (.569) and has started all 45 contests for the Rockets.
• Denner's 13 home runs this season are tied for second in program history with Rhonda King (1993), one shy of Bailey Curry's record of 14 in 2018. Denner is also one double shy of tying Brenda Steinbrunner's (1987) school record of 17 doubles.
• Sophomore first baseman Riley Mohr ranks second on the team with a .359 batting average, a .513 slugging mark and .500 on-base percentage and is tied for second with seven doubles.
• Sophomore outfielder Leah Munson ranks third on the team with a .345 batting average, 39 hits and 21 runs scored.
• Junior right fielder Anna Dixon ranks second on the team with 43 hits and 25 runs scored and tied for fourth with a .328 batting average.
• Junior second baseman Aleah Marra is fourth on the team with 21 RBIs and tied for fourth with a .328 hitting mark.
• Freshman shortstop Jenna Kroll ranks second on the team with 25 RBIs and has a .299 batting average. She has four home runs with two coming with the bases loaded. Her first collegiate homer was a grand slam in a 15-10 win at Kent State (March 21) and she also blasted a walk-off grand slam in an 11-3 triumph over Northern Illinois (April 3).
• Sophomore catcher Macey Moore was named the MAC's Female Scholar Athlete of the Week on March 31 after hitting .833 at Buffalo (March 27). She possesses a 3.81 grade-point average as a pre-nursing major and ranks third on the team with 23 RBIs.
• Senior Erin Hunt (18-12, 3.70 ERA) is the Rockets' primary starter in the circle. She ranks second in the MAC in innings pitched (181.2) and victories (18).
• Junior Makenna Durieux is 2-4 with a 4.51 ERA in 13 appearances covering 45.0 IP.  Durieux posted a 1-0 record and 0.88 ERA with just one walk and nine strikeouts in two appearances last week. Highlighting Durieux's week was a complete-game three-hitter in which she allowed Western Michigan just one run in 5.0 innings of the Rockets' 9-1 victory on Wednesday. Durieux also pitched three innings of scoreless relief with five strikeouts against Central Michigan on Tuesday.
 
ROCKETS IN CONFERENCE PLAY
• Toledo is hitting .309 and is averaging 5.9 rpg in MAC play.
• Dayna Denner leads the MAC in conference play with a .513 batting average, a 1.026 SLG% and a .638 OBP% and third with nine homers.
• Leah Munson ranks second on the team with a .354 batting average in league play.
• Jenna Kroll is tied for second on the team in MAC play with Macey Moore with 21 RBIs.
• Denner has scored a team-high 21 runs in league action with Anna Dixon ranking second with 19 runs and Munson third with 18 runs.
• Six Rocket starters are hitting over .300 in league play - Denner (.513), Munson (.354), Aleah Marra (.317), Dixon (.308), Kroll (.307) and Riley Mohr (.300).
• Lauren Erickson is hitting .382 with 10 RBIs and 13 runs scored in league play but has only 34 at-bats.
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Western Michigan has lost 12 of 14 games since returning from a 17-day COVID pause on April 28. Senior centerfielder Mackenzie Swinehart leads WMU with a .390 hitting mark and nine home runs. Senior Reily Galloway (4-11, 4.97 ERA) has been the Broncos' primary starter in the circle.
 
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
 Central Michigan has won five in a row after sweeping a four-game series at Akron last weekend. Senior shortstop Morgan Gardner, freshman rightfielder Abbey Tolmie and senior centerfielder Shaidan Knapp lead the Chippewas offensively with .345, .344 and .339 batting averages, respectively. Junior first baseman Shannon Stein is tied for the team lead with six home runs and has a team-best 35 RBIs to go along with a .311 average. Freshman Grace Lehto (9-10, 5.93 ERA) has started 20 of 42 contests in the circle for CMU. She limited the Rockets to three hits and one run in a 3-1 victory last Wednesday.