Bowling Green State University Athletics
Baseball Finishes Third At Fresno Tournament
March 20, 2000 | Baseball
March 13, 2000
BG BASEBALL RECORDS 3-2-1 MARK IN FRESNO TOURNAMENT
The Bowling Green State University baseball team placed third in the Fresno State tournament sponsored by Pepsi/Johnny Quik. The Falcons won their last three games to finish the tournament with a 3-2-1 record. BG was one of eight schools participating in the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic.
UPCOMING GAMES ...
The Bowling Green State University baseball team returns to action this Friday in game one of a three-game series in Columbia, Missouri, against the Missouri Tigers. BG continues its extended season-opening road trip with two games at West Virginia on March 22-23.
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 ...
Mar. 6 -- Creighton 4, BGSU 1
Bowling Green fell to Creighton University (11-1) in the opening game of the 2000 Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic being hosted by Fresno State University.
The Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kenny Burdine laced a one-out single through the right side and advanced to third on Alan Gilhousen's single. Lee Morrison doubled in Burdine.
The Bluejays scored twice in the bottom of the first when Dan Lawler doubled in a run and scored on a single by Scott Allen. Lawler scored again in the fourth inning on a single by Ken Sarna. Sarna homered with one out in the seventh inning to complete the scoring.
Junior Tony Fontana went the distance for BG striking out five and walking three. Creighton's Dan Gooris also pitched a complete game striking out 10 and walking one.
Mar. 7-8 -- BGSU 8, Temple 8
Bowling Green surrendered three runs to Temple (0-6-1) in the bottom of the ninth inning in an 8-8 tie against the Owls. The game did not have extra innings due to a time limit.
The game was completed on May 8th after two rain delays on May 7th that also forced the postponement of the last game that day.
BG starting pitcher Joe Cheney tossed the first four innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits, but did not walk a batter. Brad Henry pitched 2.2 innings and allowed three runs (all earned), while Ryan Streb hurled 1.1 scoreless innings. Mike Muzi pitched the ninth inning and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk.
Sophomore outfielder Len Elias went three-for-three with a double and a triple, plus a walk to lead the Falcon bats. Kenny Burdine added two hits, while Alan Gilhousen, Sean Ryan and Burdine each drove in two runs.
Mar. 8 -- Fresno State 5, BGSU 1
The Falcons dropped a 5-1 decision at No. 22-ranked Fresno State in the lone nine-inning game of the day.
The Bulldogs scored five times off BG starter Doug Flere, but were unable to cross the plate against relief pitchers Deryck Griffith and Chad Curlis.
FSU scored twice in the third inning on RBI double by Brandon Gemoll and a bases loaded walk to Ben Fritz.
Fresno increased its lead to 5-0 with a three-run fifth inning. Gemoll tripled in Anthony Acevedo, who had led off the inning with a single. Nick Garcia tripled to right center to score Gemoll. BG freshman hurler Deryck Griffith then replaced Flere. After a sacrifice fly plated Garcia, Griffith retired two of the next three FSU batters.
BG's lone run came in the sixth inning when Alan Gilhousen laced a two-out double to left center to score Aric Christman.
Five different Falcon hitters had one hit apiece, while Griffith, in his collegiate debut, tossed 4.1 innings of one-hit baseball against the No. 22-ranked team in the country.
Chad Curlis retired two of the three batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning.
Mar. 9 -- BGSU 6, UNC-Asheville 5
Bowling Green won its first game of the 2000 season rallying from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the University of North Carolina at Asheville, 6-5.
BG scored five times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-4 lead. Len Elias led off with a single and Alan Gilhousen followed with a single. After a pitching change, Sean Ryan doubled in Elias. Corey Loomis drew a walk, and Matt Marcum drilled a one-out single to left to score Gilhousen, with Ryan scoring on a fielding error by UNC's left fielder Tim Nettles. Nick Elrod singled in Loomis and with two outs Aric Christman's single up the middle plated Marcum.
After UNC-Asheville had tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on a couple of walks and back-to-back sacrifice bunts, the Falcons scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning. Sean Ryan smacked a two-out single through the right side and scored on Corey Loomis' double to left center.
Craig Menke started for BG and allowed three earned runs in five innings. Freshman Brett Baumgartner earned his first collegiate victory by pitching 1.2 innings allowing one run. Senior Ryan Streb notched the save by pitching the final 2.1 innings. Streb allowed one hit, no runs or walks, and struck out three.
Mar. 10 -- BGSU 6, Gonzaga 4
BG won its second consecutive game with a 6-4 triumph over Gonzaga.
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Aric Christman led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Brian Munhall. Alan Gilhousen's sacrifice fly scored Christman.
BG scored again in the third when Scott Dukate singled up the middle to start the inning and scored on Len Elias' double to left center.
Gonzaga tied the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but BG responded with a four-run sixth inning. Sean Ryan's sac fly scored Len Elias to put the Falcons in front 3-2. Kenny Burdine and Corey Loomis had back-to-back singles to plate Alan Gilhousen, while Matt Best's RBI groundout scored Burdine. Scott Dukate's two-out double to left center scored Loomis.
Joe Cheney started on the mound for BG and pitched seven innings allowing three earned runs. Brad Henry allowed one run in 1.1 innings, while Chad Curlis and Mike Muzi each pitched a scoreless 1/3 of an inning. Cheney evened his record at 1-1, with Muzi earning his first save of the season.
Mar. 11 -- BGSU 10, Indiana State 7
Sean Ryan homered twice as Bowling Green defeated Indiana State by a 10-7 score on the final day of the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic.
With the win, BG's third consecutive victory, the Falcons finish third in the tournament. BGSU is now 3-5-1 on the season after an 0-5-1 start.
The Falcons got on the board first, with a five-run third inning. Shaun Rice singled, stole second and scored on a Len Elias double. Corey Loomis singled, Alan Gilhousen doubled, and Ryan singled to chase ISU starting pitcher Weylen Clary. Kenny Burdine greeted reliever Mitch Stetter with a single, scoring Gilhousen, and BG scored one more run in the inning on a Matt Marcum fielder's choice.
BG added to its lead on Ryan's solo homer in the fifth inning, and, after ISU scored twice in the sixth, built the margin to 10-2 with four runs in the bottom of the frame. That inning, the first two BG batters went out before the next four reached base.
Matt Best doubled down the right-field line, and scored on a Loomis single. Loomis advanced to second on the throw home, then stole third before Gilhousen walked. Ryan followed with a three-run shot, his third of the year.
ISU made things interesting with a five-run eighth, but the Falcons would not allow them to get any closer.
Tony Fontana got the win with five innings of shutout ball. He gave up six hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter. Four BG relievers -- Brian Thacker, Deryck Griffith, Kevin Stock and Ryan Streb -- also saw work in the game. Five of ISU's seven runs were unearned.
