NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – Toledo wrapped up play at the Charleston Southern Tournament on Sunday with a 9-7 (8 inn.) loss to UNC Wilmington.

The Rockets fell behind 4-0 in the first inning, rallied to tie the score at 5-5 in the seventh, but surrendered four runs in the eighth. An eighth-inning rally put two runs on the board but it wasn't enough as Toledo fell to 2-3 on the season.

"We kept battling and battling and almost pulled it out today," head coach Joe Abraham said. "We need to stay out of big innings defensively and stop digging ourselves such a big hole."

Sophomore Molly Ryan ripped her first home run of the season over right center wall in the second inning, a three-run blast that brought the Rockets within one run, 4-3. Senior Dayna Denner then tied the game at 4-4 in the third inning with a solo shot, her third this season. UNC Wilmington regained the lead with a home run in the sixth inning, but Toledo tied the game 5-5 at the bottom of the seventh off a double from senior Anna Dixon that plated Sidney Griffith.

The Seahawks put up four runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-5 lead but the Rockets did not quit. Toledo loaded the bases with no outs when junior Macey Moore scored off a single from senior Aleah Marra . Sophomore Jenna Kroll reached home off a ground out from Riley Mohr to make the score 9-7 but Toledo's rally ended there when UNCW got the final two outs.

The Rockets' offense was led by Denner, Marra and sophomore Lauren Erickson, who had two hits apiece. 

"Dayna Denner had a huge weekend, and several other hitters came out on fire, so it was encouraging to see that we're going to score runs," Abraham said. "Once we start holding teams down reasonably well, we will win games like the one today."

Toledo (2-3) will head down to Birmingham, Ala. next weekend to play five games at the Blazer Classic on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 18-20. The Rockets will face Murray State, North Dakota and host UAB at Mary Bowers Field.

UNC WILMINGTON 9, TOLEDO 7

• UNC Wilmington put four runs on the board in the first.
• Sophomore Molly Ryan hit a three-run homer into right center to cut UNCW's lead to 4-3
• Dayna Denner sent a solo home run over the right center wall in the third inning to tie the game 4-4.
• Anna Dixon hit a double to right center to score Sidney Griffith to tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh.
• UNCW scored four runs in the top of the eighth to take a 9-5 lead.
• Toledo loaded the bases with nobody out  in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs on an RBI single from Aleah Marra and an RBI groundout by Riley Mohr, but stranded runners on second and third.