TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo softball team dropped its doubleheader against Mid-American Conference regular-season champion and No. 25 Miami on Tuesday afternoon at Scott Park, falling 8-0 (5 inn.) in the opener followed by a 10-4 loss in the nightcap.
The Rockets put up a fight in Game Two and took their first lead against the top team in the MAC after junior
Kendra VanderLugt hit a two-run homer in the second inning. UT tied the game 4-4 in the fourth, but the RedHawks responded with four runs in the fifth and a solo homer in each of the final two innings to pull away for the victory.
In the opener, Miami broke open a scoreless game with two homers in the second inning and increased its margin to 8-0 in the fourth. Toledo tried to extend the game when it put two runners on with two outs in the fifth but was unsuccessful.
VanderLugt led the offense with three hits, including her second home run of the season, and two RBIs. Junior
Sidney Griffith had two hits, and senior
Jenna Kroll hit her fifth homer of the year in the nightcap.
Toledo (22-21, 12-10 MAC) will end the regular season this weekend with a three-game series against Buffalo at Scott Park. The Rockets are now in fourth place in the conference standings with the top six teams qualifying for the MAC Tournament in Akron on May 8-11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE – #21 Miami 8, Toledo 0
- Miami's Karli Spaid and Jenna Golembiewski each hit a solo shot to left field in the third to take a 2-0 advantage.
- The RedHawks exploded for six rus in the fourth, including a three-run bomb by Golembiewski, to take an 8-0 lead.
GAME TWO – #21 Miami 10, Toledo 4
- Sophia Knight retired the RedHawks in order to open the game.
- Miami took a one-run lead in the top of the second.
- Kendra VanderLugt lined one over the left-field fence to give Toledo a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the frame.
- Miami evened the score on a fielder's choice in the third and added two more runs in the fourth.
- Jenna Kroll sent one sailing over the left-center field fence and Maris Barbato scored on an error to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth.
- Miami's Karli Spaid and Sami Bewick each hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
- Miami's Reagan Bartholomew hit a solo shot to left-center in the sixth, and Holly Blaska homered to right field in the seventh.