Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Falcons Advance To Saturday Action, 7-2
May 13, 2000 | Softball
May 13, 2000
DeKALB, Ill. - The Bowling Green softball team used a three-run first inning to move past host Northern Illinois Friday evening (May 12). The Mid-American Conference Tournament game was held at Mary M. Bell Field.
With the win, the Falcons (now 32-17) advance to Saturday's (May 13) action. BGSU, the tournament's second seed, will face #5 seed Akron in the day's first game, at 11:00 CDT (noon EDT). The winner will stay alive to face #3 Central Michigan, and the BGSU/UA survivor would need to post two wins over CMU to capture the MAC Tournament.
Northern Illinois, the top seed for the tourney, was eliminated by the Falcons and ends the year at 33-22.
The Brown and Orange wasted no time getting on the board against Huskie starter Jolene Heller. Angie Domschot and Carmen Hitterdal drew back-to-back walks to start the game, and Erin Zwinck reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. Sophomore Renee Rosemeier then delivered a two-run double to right-center field, scoring Domschot and Hitterdal. Zwinck was out at the plate as Rosemeier advanced to third on the play. That hit chased Heller and brought Christy Dalton into the game for the Huskies. One out later, Rosemeier scored on a Dalton wild pitch.
NIU cut the lead to a single run with a two-run first inning off BG starter Andrea Genter. After a leadoff single by Jill Carpenter and a sacrifice bunt, a groundout sent Carpenter to third. Susie Rizek drew a walk, and Gretchen Szymski and Kathy LeClear had back-to-back RBI singles.
The Falcons left the bases loaded in the top of the third, and it looked as if Northern might take the lead in the bottom of the inning. With pinch-runner Kelly Allen on first base, LeClear hit a sinking liner to rightfield. A diving Rosemeier made the catch, then threw to first baseman Nikki Rouhana to double Allen off first and end the threat.
BGSU got a run in the fourth when Libby Voshell led off with a single up the middle. A Colleen Bates sac bunt sent pinch-runner Kandice Machain to second. She took third on another Dalton wild pitch, then scored on Angie Domschot's sac fly.
The Brown and Orange broke the game open with three runs in the fifth. Rosemeier beat out an infield roller for her third hit of the game. Jen Domschot singled to send pinch-runner Morgan LaNicca to second base, then Rouhana singled up the middle off the diving NIU second baseman's glove, enabling LaNicca to score. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third, and, one out later, they both scored on Voshell's second hit of the game.
Genter did not allow the Huskies to narrow the gap, and the Falcons had the victory and stayed alive in the league tournament.
Genter, a sophomore, picked up the complete-game win. She gave up eight hits and walked five, but allowed just two runs as NIU stranded 11 runners on base. Genter improved her seasonal record to 8-5.
For NIU, Heller, the first of three Huskie pitchers, took the loss. She surrendered three runs in one-third of an inning. Dalton allowed four runs (three earned) and nine hits in four-and-a-third innings, walking two and striking out five.
At the plate, Rosemeier led the way with a 3-for-4 effort that included her ninth and 10th doubles of the season. Jen Domschot and Voshell each went 2-for-4 as the Falcons had a 10-8 advantage in the hit department.
For pitch-by-pitch updates of all of Saturday's MAC Tournament action, check out the Mid-American Conference's website at www.midamconf.com.
