ATHENS, Ohio – The Toledo softball team earned its first series win of the 2025 season with a doubleheader sweep over Mid-American Conference foe Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets took the first game, 8-5, in eight innings and capped the day with a 4-0 victory. 

In game one, the Toledo (12-23, 5-9 MAC) offense exploded, totaling 11 hits, including four home runs. This marks the 13^th game this season with double-figure hits and the third game of the year with four or more homers. Tied at 1-1 entering extra innings, the Rockets scored seven runs on seven hits in the eighth inning to secure the victory. Sophomore Mady Yackee threw 3.1 innings to pick up the win while Sophia Knight earned her first save of the season. Toledo has now won four of its last five games.

Knight threw her first scoreless outing of the year to help the Rockets sweep the double feature. This marked the fourth shutout win of the season for Toledo and second in conference play. Seven Rockets recorded hits while Kendra VanderLugt and Payton Abiley added RBIs to earn the first MAC series win of the season.

Quoting Head Coach Jessica Bracamonte
"I'm really proud of our approach and effort today. To bounce back and sweep the day after dropping the first game of the series against a tough team says a lot about the fight that is left in this team. The game starts in the circle, and I thought our pitchers did a great job all around, especially Sophia (Knight). The defense showed up behind them, and our offense worked hard to make adjustments and produce quality at-bats. Two really great team wins."

Hitting Highlights
Includes both games

• Eli Enriquez – 3-for-8, 4 R, 2 RBI, HR (2), 1 SB, 1 BB
  • 11^th multi-hit game of the season
• Audrey Miller – 3-for-8, 1 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR (8), 1 BB
  • 11^th multi-hit game of the season
• Eliza Maloney – 2-for-6, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR (3), 1 HBP, 1 SB

Pitching Highlights

• Kylee Graham (Game 1) – 4.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
• Mady Yackee (Game 1 – W, 2-2) – 3.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
• Sophia Knight (Game 1 – SAVE) – 0.1 IP, 2 BB, 1 K
  • First save of the season; second of her career
• Sophia Knight (Game 2 – W, 6-11) – 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
  • First shutout win of the season; second of her career

How It Happened
Game 1

• Toledo got on the board first thanks to a bases loaded walk in the third, 1-0.
• Ohio tied the game with a solo home run in the sixth, 1-1.
• The Rockets scored seven runs on seven hits in the top of the eight to take the lead. Eliza Maloney tallied an inside-the-park homer while Madison McKay, Eli Enriquez and Audrey Miller all fired off home runs in the frame.
• Ohio plated four runs in the bottom of the eighth to get within three, 8-5, but a strikeout from Sophia Knight closed the door to even the series.

Game 2

• Toledo struck first, using an Ohio error to take a 2-0 lead in the third.
• An RBI double from Kendra VanderLugt in the fifth extended the Rockets' lead, 3-0.
• In the sixth, Payton Abiley delivered an RBI single to extend Toledo's edge to 4-0.

Up Next
Toledo will host Central Michigan for a doubleheader at Scott Park on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with coverage on BCSN/ESPN+.

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