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Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Baseball Idle Until Spring Trip To Fresno
February 29, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 29, 2000
The Bowling Green State University baseball team, selected second in the East Division of the 2000 Mid-American Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, began its 2000 campaign with three losses at the University of Dayton this past weekend. The Flyers won both ends of Saturday's doubleheader (7-6, 10-7) and claimed Sunday's contest, 8-4.
UPCOMING GAMES ...
The Bowling Green State University baseball team will next be in action on Monday, March 6 vs. Creighton in the first round of the Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic in Fresno, California. BG is in the same bracket with Creighton, Temple and Fresno State. After playing a round-robin in its bracket, Bowling Green will then play two cross-over games against teams in the other bracket (Gonzaga, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and UNC-Asheville). The tournament will conclude with championship day on Saturday, March 11
THE COACH ...
Falcon mentor Danny Schmitz moved into second place on BG's all-time baseball coaching list with the Falcons 7-3 triumph over Ohio University on April 25th last season. He surpassed the legendary Warren E. Steller, who compiled 221 victories in 31 years (1925, '28-34, '36, '38-59) with a .589 winning percentage (221-154-0).
Schmitz has led the Falcons to back-to-back NCAA appearances. BG's trip to the NCAA's in 1998 was its first since 1972.
Prior to being named to his current position in August, 1990, he served three seasons (1988-90) as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan following three years as the manager of Visalia (1985-87) in the Class A California League. Schmitz also spent eight years playing in the minor leagues including the last seven in AAA.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK ...
Feb. 26 -- Dayton 7, BGSU 6 (Game 1)
Dayton scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Falcons in the 2000 season opener for both teams. The Flyers started the winning rally when Brooks Vogel was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch by BG relief pitcher Mike Muzi and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Clint Beasley. Tony Fontana started on the mound for the Falcons and allowed five runs (one earned) in 2.2 innings. Brad Henry pitched 3.1 innings of middle relief and allowed one earned run. BG scored in the first inning when Len Elias hit a one-out triple (his first collegiate three-bagger) to right center and scored on Alan Gilhousen's single to center field. In the third inning, Aric Christman led off with a single to center field and scored on Elias' double to left field. Elias later scored on a Dayton error. BG scored twice in the fourth inning to tie the game at five on a single by Alan Gilhousen. Gilhousen's single to left field plated Corey Loomis and Christman. Loomis had a one-out single to center and Christman had doubled down the left field line. BG's final run was a two-out home run by Nick Elrod in the fifth inning.
Bowling Green 1-0-2 2-1-0 0 --- 6-10-2 Dayton 2-0-3 0-1-0 1 --- 7- 8-1
WP-John Scott (1-0), LP-Mike Muzi (0-1)
BG hitting leaders: Aric Christman (2-3, 2B), Nick Elrod (2-3, 2B, HR, RBI), Len Elias (2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI), Alan Gilhousen (2-4, 3 RBI), Corey Loomis (1-2)
Feb. 26 -- Dayton 10, BGSU 7 (Game 2)
Dayton rallied from a 5-0 BG lead after 2 1/2 innings to defeat the visiting Falcons 10-7 in the second game of the doubleheader. BG took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on consecutive singles by Kenny Burdine, Alan Gilhousen and Lee Morrison. The Falcons scored four times in the second. Nick Elrod led off with a single and Scott Dukate doubled him home. Burdine doubled in Dukate and Gilhousen smacked a two-run home run to right field. BG's final two runs came in the seventh inning when Justin Haire had a pinch hit double to right center and following a fielder's choice, Sean Ryan clobbered a two-run home run to right center. Joe Cheney started for BG and allowed six earned runs in two innings. Chad Kingery, pitching for the first time since 1998, allowed three earned runs in two innings. Ryan Streb pitched the final two innings and allowed one earned run.
Bowling Green 1-4-0 0-0-0 2 --- 7-13-1 Dayton 0-0-6 3-0-1 X --- 10-13-0
WP-Brian Lyons (1-0), LP-Joe Cheney (0-1)
BG hitting leaders: Kenny Burdine (4-5, 2-2B, RBI), Nick Elrod (2-2), Scott Dukate (2-3, 2-2B, RBI), Alan Gilhousen (2-4, HR, 2 RBI)
Feb. 27 -- Dayton 8, BGSU 4
Dayton completed the three-game series sweep by downing Bowling Green 8-4 on Sunday afternoon. BG took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a double by Kenny Burdine and a run-scoring single to left by Matt Best. The Falcons increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Aric Christman and Len Elias. BG added another single tally in the sixth on a leadoff home run by Kenny Burdine. Dayton scored four runs (three unearned) in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. The Flyers added two runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth. BG's final run came in the ninth inning when Scott Dukate hit a one-out home run to left field. BG's next game will be Monday, March 6 vs. Creighton in Fresno, California.
Bowling Green 0-1-0 0-1-1 0-0-1 --- 4-9-3 Dayton 0-0-0 0-0-4 2-2-X --- 8-6-1
WP-Nick Hahnenberg (1-0), LP-Craig Menke (0-1), Save-Kent Depue (1)
BG hitting leaders: Aric Christman (3-5, 2B), Kenny Burdine (2-4, 2B, HR, RBI), Scott Dukate (1-3, HR, RBI), Matt Best (1-2, RBI), Matt Marcum (1-3)
FALCON NOTES ...
Freshman infielder Corey Loomis recorded his first collegiate hit, a single to center, in the fourth inning of Saturday's first game.
Freshman catcher Justin Haire collected his first collegiate hit with a pinch-hit double to right center in the seventh inning of Saturday's second game.
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Chad Kingery made his first appearance since 1998 pitching two innings of middle relief in Saturday's second game. He allowed three runs (all earned) all four hits while striking out three.
Senior infielder/designated hitter Alan Gilhousen had four hits (two in each game) plus five RBI in Saturday's doubleheader.
Sophomore infielder Nick Elrod went four-for-five in Saturday's twinbill with one walk.
Senior infielder Kenny Burdine collected four hits in Saturday's nightcap, including two doubles.
Five different Falcons each hit a home run in the three-game series: Nick Elrod, Alan Gilhousen, Sean Ryan, Kenny Burdine and Scott Dukate.
Sophomore hurler Doug Flere pitched five scoreless innings on Sunday. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter, while only surrendering a two-out single in the first inning.
