Bowling Green State University Athletics
Baseball Off For Exams; Next Games May 6-7 At Ohio
May 01, 2000 | Baseball
May. 1, 2000
The Bowling Green State University baseball team will not will have a midweek game this week due to exams. Bowling Green's first games following exams will be a four-game MAC series at Ohio University on May 6-7. Doubleheader action both days begins at 1 p.m.
BG will conclude the non-conference portion of its regular-season schedule with contests at Michigan (May 9) and at home against Dayton on Wednesday, May 10.
UPCOMING GAMES ...
Bowling Green's final league series will be at home on May 13-14 against Akron. Doubleheader action both days at Steller Field begins at 1 p.m. Senior day will be on Sunday.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK ...
Apr. 25 -- BGSU 7, Wright State 4
Bowling Green won its fifth non-league game in its last six tries with a 7-4 victory over Wright State Tuesday afternoon at Steller Field.
Apr. 26 -- BGSU 11, Oakland 7
Bowling Green improved its record to nine games over .500 (24-15-1) with an 11-7 triumph at Oakland University.
The Falcons scored four times in the top of the first and then went ahead to stay with four runs in the sixth inning.
Apr. 29 -- BGSU 6, Kent 2 (Game 1)
Bowling Green moved into a tie for first place in the MAC East Division with a 6-2 triumph at Kent in Saturday's first game. Falcon starter Tony Fontana went the distance for his sixth complete game of the season. He struck out six, allowed only three hits and two runs (one earned).
Apr. 29 -- Kent 7, BGSU 6 (Game 2)
After tying the score in the top of the seventh, Bowling Green surrendered the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh in falling at Kent 7-6 in Saturday's nightcap.
Apr. 30 -- Kent 7, BGSU 1 (Game 1)
Bowling Green dropped a 7-1 decision at Kent in Sunday's first game.
Apr. 30 -- Kent 8, BGSU 3 (Game 2)
Bowling Green suffered its third straight defeat at Kent in Sunday's second game. BG left 11 men on base in falling 8-3 to the Golden Flashes.
FALCON NOTES ...
Junior starting pitcher Tony Fontana won his fifth consecutive decision with Saturday's 6-2 triumph at Kent. He leads the team in wins (6), complete games (6), innings pitched (69) and strikeouts (63). Fontana has limited opponents to a .224 batting average and only two stolen bases in nine attempts.
In Mid-American Conference games, Fontana has been even tougher with a 4-0 mark and a 2.31 earned-run average. He has 36 strikeouts in 35 innings, while limiting opponents to a .148 batting average (17 for 115).
Junior center fielder Aric Christman had at least one hit in all six games last week to extend his hitting streak to nine games, the longest current streak of any Falcon. Christman and senior designated hitter Alan Gilhousen are tied for the team lead in multiple-hit games with 15. Gilhousen and junior right fielder Lee Morrison are tied with a team-high nine multiple-RBI games. Gilhousen also has a team-best 13 two-out RBI.
Senior second baseman Kenny Burdine is batting a team-leading .390 after hitting .279 a year ago. He has also delivered all 11 times this year with an RBI when BG had a runner on third and less than two outs. Burdine is batting .541 with runners in scoring position and .458 against left-handed pitchers.
Senior relief pitcher Ryan Streb has recorded six saves this season, two shy of the single-season school record of 8 set by Bob Reichow in 1996.
Sophomore outfielder Len Elias is currently tied for 10th on the BG list for career doubles with 29. He set a Falcon single-season record with 19 two-baggers last year.
Senior relief pitcher Mike Muzi moved into a second-place tie with Vince Metzger (1988-91) for career games played by a Falcon hurler at 66 with his appearance on Saturday. Derek Common (1988-92) holds the school record at 78.
Bowling Green has outscored its opponents in each of the first six innings but has been outscored in the seventh (30-21), eighth (16-7) and ninth innings (9-3). The Falcons won the only game to last more than nine innings.
Senior catcher Brad Simon has thrown out nine of 17 (52.9%) opposing base stealers.
Junior pitcher Craig Menke has been tough on all batters this season limiting opponents to a .223 average. Lefties are batting .240 (50 AB), while right-hand batters are only hitting .217 (129 AB) against him.
Sophomore shortstop Nick Elrod has been the "team player" leading the Falcons in hit by pitch (three) and sacrifice flies (four), while ranking second in walks (19). Classmate Len Elias has a team-high 30 base on balls.
