COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Toledo softball team rallied with two runs in the sixth inning to bring it to within one run of Ohio State, but could not push across the tying run in a 5-4 loss at Buckeye Field on Tuesday.

Ohio State broke open a tie game the bottom of the fifth when Niki Carver hit a three-run homer to give the home team a 5-2 cushion. However, the Rockets came back with two runs in the top of the sixth when freshman Sidney Griffith smacked a two-out, two-run homer, her first collegiate long-tripper. But Toledo's hopes for the upset were thwarted when OSU's Lexie Handley struck out the next batter to end the sixth, then struck out the side in the seventh.

Toledo will be back home at Scott Park for a three-game series with Ball State this weekend. The Rockets and Cardinals will play one game on Friday at 3:00 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.

How it Happened:
Ohio State 5, Toledo 4

• Sophomore Lauren Erickson hit a sacrifice fly to give Toledo a 1-0 lead in the first.
• In the third, OSU's Sam Hackenbracht and Niki Carver hit back-to-back solo homers.
• In the fifth, sophomore pinch runner Lily Beyer scored on a ground out by Anna Dixon to tie the score at 2-2.
• OSU regained the lead Carver smashed a three-run dinger in the bottom of the fifth.
• In the sixth, freshman Sidney Griffith hit a two-run home run to left center with two outs to close the gap to 5-4.
• OSU's Lexie Handley then struck out Maris Barbato to end the sixth, and struck out the side in the seventh.