TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo softball team gained a split of its doubleheader vs. Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon by rallying for a 12-6 victory in Game 2 after falling by a 4-1 margin in Game 1.
The Rockets (17-22, 10-11 MAC) cranked out 14 hits to back up
Sophia Knight in the circle in their six-run win over the Huskies. UT's 14 hits tied for its most in a single game this season. Five of of the Rockets' hits came in the fifth inning when UT scored six runs to take its first lead of the twin bill.
Jenna Kroll led Toledo offensively by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, three RBIs and her eighth homer of the season.
Aubrey Reed also hit one out of the park and went 4-for-7 at the plate with two RBIs.
Riley Mohr collected four hits including a double with two RBIs, while
Anna Dixon registered a triple, a stolen base and scored three runs.
Knight (6-8) struck out five batters in 7.0 innings of work to earn the win. Â
Erin Hunt (11-12) went the distance in the series opener and retired five batters in the loss.
The Rockets and Huskies (21-20, 11-8 MAC) will close out their series tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for noon.
Game 1 – Northern Illinois 4, Toledo 1
- After Northern Illinois took a 1-0 lead in the second, Aubrey Reed's homer over the center-field fence evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the frame.
- The Huskies took back the lead in the third with three runs and the Rockets were unable to rally.
Game 2 – Toledo 12, Northern Illinois 6
- Northern Illinois scored four runs in the second to take a 5-1 advantage. Â
- Jenna Kroll's RBI single brought the Rockets to within 5-2 in the third.
- Cara Cruthers'Â RBI single gave the Huskies back their four-run lead.
- Rockets plated three runs in the fourth to close the gap to 6-5.
- Toledo exploded for six runs in the fifth to take its first lead of the afternoon, including Kroll's solo homer to left field that made the score 10-6.
- Lauren Erickson and Kendra VanderLugt added RBI singles to give the Rockets two more insurance runs.
- The Huskies had runners at the corners in the seventh, but Kelly Walinski flied out to right field to end the game.