Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Kent State
Falcons Down Flashes, 5-1
April 21, 2000 | Softball
April 21, 2000
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Seniors Colleen Bates and Erin Zwinck each pounded out three hits as the Bowling Green softball team recorded a 5-1 victory over Kent Friday afternoon (April 21). The Mid-American Conference game was played at the BGSU Softball Field.
The Falcons (now 22-12 overall, 7-3 MAC) used a four-run fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie, and freshman McKenna Houle made the lead stand up. Houle threw a complete-game six-hitter to improve her record to 8-4 on the year.
Kent (13-21, 5-6) got on the board first when a one-out single by Kerry Kaser plated Denae Jones, who had led off the inning with a walk. The Falcons equalized in the bottom of that frame. Zwinck led off with a double, and took third when junior Lynsey Ebel reached on a throwing error. Zwinck scored on an infield single by freshman Libby Voshell.
In the fifth, the Falcons batted around, with four hits and a pair of KSU errors aiding the cause. Junior Angie Domschot led off with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Carmen Hitterdal. Bates beat out a bunt, with Domschot taking third, and sophomore Renee Rosemeier reached on Kaser's second error of the game, with Domschot scoring and Bates moving to third.
Then, with Zwinck at the plate, Rosemeier broke for second, while Bates took several steps toward home. KSU catcher Jamie Kraus, attempting to cut down Bates, threw the ball into left field, allowing Bates to score and Rosemeier to reach third. Zwinck singled to bring Rosemeier home, and junior Nikki Rouhana walked. One out later, Voshell single to center to plate Zwinck.
The Falcons pounded out 10 hits on the afternoon. In addition to the three-hit performances by Bates and Zwinck, Voshell had two hits in as many at-bats. Defensively, the Falcons played error-free softball for just the fourth time this season.
Kraus had three of Kent's six hits on the day. KSU pitcher Nicole Karasek took the loss, despite giving up just two earned runs in four-and-a-third innings. Taylor Fleming got the final five outs, surrendering an unearned run.
"We kind of got off to a slow start with the bats today," said BGSU head coach Leigh Ross-Shaw. "But, we had strong pitching and strong defense to hold us in there until the bats got going. "McKenna, even as a freshman, is probably one of our toughest kids mentally, and she does well in close games. She likes those kinds of situations, and I think it makes her play better."
The win enabled the Brown and Orange to keep pace with first-place Marshall in the MAC's East Division. The Thundering Herd remained a game ahead of the Falcons with a 1-0 Friday win at Akron.
With the win, the Brown and Orange topped the team's win total for all of last season. BGSU is now 22-12 after going 21-27 during the 1999 season.
The Falcons and Golden Flashes will play a Saturday (April 22) doubleheader at the BGSU Softball Field, with start time set for 1:00 p.m. The Falcons' three seniors -- Bates, Hitterdal and Zwinck -- will be honored in "Senior Day" festivities between games of the twinbill.
