TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo softball program and first-year head coach Jessica Bracamonte will begin their 2023 season this weekend in Clinton, S.C. at Presbyterian College's Pinnacle Blue Hose Invitational. The Rockets will play four games at the PC Softball Complex on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 10-11.

Pinnacle Blue Hose Invitational (Clinton, S.C.)
Friday, Feb. 10
vs. Bellarmine | 9:00 a.m. | Live Stats
vs. Presbyterian | 11:15 a.m. | Live Stats

Saturday, Jan. 11
vs. Bellarmine | 9:00 a.m. | Live Stats
vs. Presbyterian | 11:15 a.m. | Live Stats

Last Season
Toledo ended the 2022 season with a 12-37 overall record and a 5-21 record in Mid-American Conference play. Dayna Denner was named Second-Team All-MAC at the end of the season and 11 student-athletes were named to the Academic All-MAC team. She became Toledo's career home run leader last season, surpassing Kaitlyn Bergman (2014-19) who held the previous record at 24.

The Rockets compiled a .248 team batting average with a .391 slugging percentage at the plate last year. They scored 228 runs and hit 68 doubles, four triple and 38 homers. 

New Additions
The Rockets have five new faces in the dugout, including two new coaching staff members. Joining Bracamonte are assistant coach Kayla Noch and pitching coach Jon Gwizdala. Toledo also has three freshmen on the roster: pitcher Madison McKay, 1B/3B Larren Rounds, and 3B/UTIL Grace O'Malley.

Top Toledo Returners with Career Stats

• Catcher Aubrey Reed: .218 avg., .423 SLG%, 95 H, 10 HR, 68 RBIs, 44 BB
• Pitcher Erin Hunt: 2.93 ERA through 482.0 IP, 10 shutouts with 55 complete games, 479 strikeouts
• Outfielder Lauren Erickson: .325 avg., .522 SLG%, 51 H, 6 HR, 50 RBIs
• Outfielder Anna Dixon: .329 avg., .379 SLG%, 105 H, 29 RBIs, 13 SB
• Infielder Jenna Kroll: .287 avg., .484 SLG%, 74 H, 11 HR, 55 RBIs, 25 BB
• First baseman Riley Mohr: .278 avg., 14 2B, 35 RBIs, 38 BB, .976 FLD%

About Bellarmine

• Bellarmine finished lastseason with an overall record of 10-41 and a 1-23 in ASUN Conference play.
• Bellarmine had a team .201 batting average, .282 slugging percentage, 18 dingers, 105 runs scored, 41 doubles, and the pitching's accumulated 145 K's.
• The Knights return Chloe Collins who had a team-best six homers and a .477 slugging percentage.
• Returning pitcher Claire Lehmkuhler recorded a 5.00 ERA through 120.1 innings of work with 50 strikeouts.
• The Knights have a new coaching staff this season, with head coach Caitlyn de la Haba and graduate assistant coach Bailey Curry, who was MAC Freshman of the Year at Toledo in 2018.

About Presbyterian College

• Presbyterian College was selected to finish second (52 pts., 2 first-place votes) in the 2023 Big South Softball Preseason Coaches Poll, just behind USC Upstate (55 pts., 3 first-place votes). Additionally, senior pitcher Jenna Greene was picked as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year following her outstanding 2022 season.
• The Blue Hose ended 2022 with a 36-15 record and a 19-8 Big South showing.
• PC made it to the final round of the conference tournament, and fell to Longwood, 3-1, for the tournament title.
• PC recorded a .297 team batting average, .363 on-base percentage, .466 slugging percentage, 47 home runs, 235 runs, 227 RBI, 384 hits, 70 doubles, and 15 shutouts.

Up Next
Toledo will head to Youngsville, La. next week to play five games in the Mardi Gras Mambo. The Rockets are scheduled to play Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, Houston Christian, Nicholls State, and Northwestern State on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 17-19.

Follow the Rockets
Be sure to follow the Rockets' softball team on social media:

• Twitter: @ToledoSoftball
• Instagram: "toledosoftball'
• Facebook: "Toledo Softball"