Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MARSHALL
Falcons Come From Behind For 5-3 Win
March 24, 2002 | Softball
March 24, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team scored five times in its last two at-bats en route to a 5-3 win over Marshall University Sunday (March 24). The game, the final contest of a three-game series, was played at the BGSU Softball Field.
The Falcons, who erased a 3-0 deficit with a run in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth, improve to 10-9 overall and 3-0 in Mid-American Conference play. Visiting Marshall falls to 7-14 and 0-3, respectively.
A pair of Falcons, freshman Sara "Sam" Moore and junior Libby Voshell, had three hits apiece in the win. Moore had a double and a triple, with the latter hit scoring two runs to tie the game in the sixth. Several batters later, Voshell singled with the bases loaded to plate two more runs.
The Herd opened the scoring with a run in the second inning off BGSU senior Andrea Genter. Vanessa Clarkson drew a leadoff walk, took second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Carrie Dean's double to right.
Marshall extended the lead in the following inning. Nikki Wilcox led off the inning with a first-pitch triple to right-center. Junior McKenna Houle came on in relief of Genter. Wilcox scored on a wild pitch to double the visitors' lead. Houle retired the next two batters, but MU got a third run as De'Shaun Drake walked and scored on Clarkson's double. But, Houle would allow the Herd no more scoring, and the Falcon bats would come to life several innings later.
BGSU got a run in the fifth, and threatened to score more off Herd starter Randi Nielson. Moore led off with a single, and junior Kandice Machain ripped a one-out liner through the right side of the infield to send Moore to second. Machain went 2-for-3 on the day.
Nielson got senior Natalie Phillips to hit into a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third with two outs. Then, Voshell blooped a double just over shortstop, scoring Moore and moving Phillips to third. But, Nielson got senior Renee Rosemeier to lift a fly ball to center to end the inning.
BGSU batted around in the sixth inning to overcome the two-run deficit. Junior Crystal Wilson led off with a walk, and senior Holly Frantz beat out a bunt, with pinch-runner Liz Tuza taking second. Drake came in to relieve Nielson, and got sophomore Jody Johnson to ground out to second, but each baserunner advanced. Then, Moore drilled a ball over the rightfielder's head for her first collegiate triple, scoring both runners to tie the game.
Redshirt freshman Marla Murphy beat out an infield hit, with Moore forced to hold at third. Murphy then stole second, and the Herd retaliated by issuing an intentional walk to Machain to load the bases. It appeared as if the strategy might work for MU, as Drake got Phillips to hit an infield popup for the second out. But, Voshell blooped a single just over the second-base bag, scoring both Moore and Murphy with what would prove to be the decisive runs.
Houle set down the side in order in the top of the seventh to earn her second win in as many games. The Falcon junior allowed only two hits in her five innings of relief, walking one batter and fanning three. Houle, now 4-4 on the year, allowed only one hit over the final four frames, and that lone baserunner was retired on a double play. She set the side down in order in each of the last three innings.
Drake suffered the loss in relief to drop to 0-4. She allowed two runs and three hits in her one inning of work. Nielson allowed three runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.
The Falcons outhit the visitors by an 11-4 margin. Voshell had three runs batted in on the day, while Moore scored twice and had two RBI.
The win improves the Falcons to 39-10 (.796) in home games during the Leigh Ross-Shaw head-coaching tenure, including a 33-8 (.805) mark against the MAC. BGSU has won 21 of the last 23 games against conference foes.
The win puts Ross-Shaw one victory shy of 100 as a head coach. She is now 99-73 (.576) in her fourth year, including a 50-23 (.685) MAC record. BGSU's next win will make Ross-Shaw the fourth coach in school history to reach 100 wins, and the fastest to get to that total.
The Falcons now hold a 16-1 advantage over MU in the all-time series between the teams, including a perfect 6-0 record at the BGSU Softball Field. Overall, BGSU has won the last eight matchups.
BGSU is scheduled to return to action with a Tuesday (March 26) game at the University of Michigan, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The Falcons then are scheduled to host Eastern Michigan University in a Wednesday (March 27) doubleheader, starting at 2:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field.
