NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – Toledo dropped a pair of games at the CSU Tournament in North Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, falling to UNC Wilmington, 6-5, in the opening game, followed by an 11-9 defeat to Charleston Southern in the night cap.
"It was a frustrating day," head coach
Joe Abraham said. "We were one pitch away from winning both games. The positives are that we have a whole bunch of people hitting the ball and a ton of good options for our lineup."
The Rockets took a 5-4 lead over UNC Wilmington in the top of the seventh when senior
Dayna Denner singled home a pair of runs. But the Buccaneers' Janel Gamache ended the game with a two-out, two-run walk-off homer.
Toledo held an 8-3 lead over Charleston Southern, but the Buccaneers scored eight runs in the final three innings to claim the victory in the Rockets' second game. Toledo built the lead thanks to two-run homers from Denner and senior
Aubrey Reed. The Buccaneers tied the game at 8-8 with five runs in the sixth inning. Neither team scored in the seventh, sending it into extra innings. Charleston Southern put up three runs in the top of the eighth. Toledo sophomore
Lexi Eckman scored off a double from freshman
Sidney Griffith with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth but Toledo's rally ended there.
Leah Munson led the Rockets with three hits in the first game, while seniors Denner and Reed each had two hits and a home run in Game Two.
"Our pitching needs to gain some experience, as we've relied on
Erin Hunt and
Makenna Durieux in the last year or two.," Abraham said. "As our staff gains that experience, it will get better and better. We need to support them by playing great defense and making outs at each opportunity."
Toledo (2-2) will close out the CSU Tournament with UNC Wilmington on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
GAME 1 – UNC Wilmington 6, Toledo 5
- Arika Reed reached first on an error to bring around Sydney McKeever from third base to tie the game 1-1 at the top of the second.
- Leah Munson's double to right center brought around Reed and Leah Erickson to take a 3-1 in the second inning.
- Dayna Denner singled home two runs to give the Rockets a 5-4 in the top of the seventh.
- Buccaneers' Janel Gamache ended the game with a two-out, two-run walk-off homer.
GAME 2 – Charleston Southern 11, Toledo 9
- Denner hit her second home run of the season to drive in Munson and tie the game at 2-2 in the first.
- Bri Robeson singled up the middle to score Alexia d'Alexander and Arika Reed and extend the Rockets' lead to 4-2 in the second.
- Arika Reed stole third base and scored off a throwing error by the catcher to put UT up 5-2.
- Aubrey Reed hit her first home run of the season in the fifth inning, knocking in two runs and pushing the lead to 8-3.
- The Buccaneers tied the game at 8-8 with five runs in the sixth inning, and took the lead with three more in the eighth.
- Toledo scored one run in the bottom of the eighth when Sidney Griffith doubled home Lexi Eckman.