Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
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Falcon Bats Erupt In Sweep Of Detroit
May 02, 2002 | Softball
May 2, 2002
DETROIT, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University softball team erupted for 20 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the University of Detroit Mercy Thursday afternoon (May 2). The Falcons won by scores of 8-3 and 12-5 in the non-conference twinbill at Titan Field.
The Falcons (21-24-1) got three homers at the plate and a complete-game win from sophomore Jody Johnson in the circle to take the first game. Senior Renee Rosemeier, sophomore Jenifer Kernahan and freshman Sam Moore each went deep in the win.
In the second game, the Brown and Orange used a seven-run seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie for the win over the Titans (21-21). Junior McKenna Houle got the win in relief.
The Falcons scored early and often in the opening game. With one out in the top of the first, sophomore Candace Fenton bunted for a hit, the first of 11 BGSU safeties in the game. After a Libby Voshell grounder for a fielder's choice, Rosemeier blasted a ball onto the hill beyond the left-field fence to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. The homer was Rosemeier's first of the year, and the sixth of her career.
The Titans cut the lead in half with an unearned run without benefit of a hit in the bottom of the first, as a run scored on a two-out BGSU error. But, the Falcons got a pair of runs in the second.
With one out, Kernahan and Moore had back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. UDM starter Anna Ollgaard got a strikeout for the second out, but junior Kandice Machain hit a drive that rolled all the way to the wall in right-center, scoring both runners.
BGSU was back at it in the third. Junior Libby Voshell led off with a bloop double that glanced off UDM shortstop Nichole Taucher's glove as she attempted a running catch with her back to the plate. The next batter, Rosemeier, hit a grounder to the pitcher's circle for the first out, but Voshell advanced to third. Ollgaard got another infield grounder for the second out of the inning, but senior Holly Frantz followed with an RBI single. Then, Kernahan stepped to the plate and worked Ollgaard to a full count before hitting the next offering to right-center for a two-run homer, her second round-tripper of the year.
Kim Allemon came on to replace Ollgaard, and received a less-than-friendly greeting from Moore. Moore hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left for her first collegiate homer. The back-to-back homeruns gave the Brown and Orange an 8-1 lead.
That run support was more than Johnson would need. The sophomore allowed only one hit through the first four innings before allowing the Titans a pair of runs in the fifth. In that inning, UDM got an infield hit, a BG error on a sac bunt attempt, and a double steal for one run, and the second run scored on a passed ball.
Neither team would score again, although Voshell hit a fly ball that was caught by UDM leftfielder Andrea Sikora at the wall in the sixth. It appeared the ball would have cleared the fence.
Sikora hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh, and went to third on an infield single by Taucher. But, Voshell robbed Melanie Davis of a hit, diving to her right to spear the liner in the air and end the game.
Johnson allowed seven hits and just one earned run in improving her record to 2-2 on the year. She issued four walks and struck out three Titan hitters. Ollgaard (6-8) allowed seven runs and eight hits in two-and-two-thirds innings of work.
Allemon gave up three hits and three runs (only one earned) in four-and-a-third innings, walking one and fanning one.
At the plate, four Falcons -- Fenton, Kernahan, Moore and Voshell -- had two-hit games. Kernahan was 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI. Moore also scored two runs and drove in a run, while Voshell had a pair of runs in the win.
Taucher was the lone Titan with two hits.
The nightcap, despite the final run differential, was more of a back-and-forth affair. The Titans scored three runs off BGSU starter Rebekah Tipton over the first two innings, getting two unearned runs on a two-out Falcon error in the first.
In the second, UDM increased the lead to three runs on a walk, a single and a Krista Peters double to right-center. Houle replaced Tipton in the circle, and got Laura Gignac to hit a popup that was caught by Frantz. Then, Houle induced Sikora to hit a groundout to end the inning.
The Falcons cut into the lead with a pair of third-inning runs off Peters. Senior Natalie Phillips hit a leadoff single up the middle, and Voshell sacrificed her to second. Then, Rosemeier beat out an infield grounder for a hit, as her ball up the middle was speared by a diving Taucher. But, the shortstop could not throw to first in time. Phillips was forced to hold at second on the play.
Junior Crystal Wilson's sharp single through the right side of the infield loaded the bases for Frantz, and the Falcon catcher ripped a double off the top of the wall in right-center to score a pair of runs. Peters was able to get out of the inning without any further damage.
BGSU threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs, but Rosemeier's fly ball was right at centerfielder Gignac to end the frame.
The Falcons manufactured the tying run in the next inning, however. Wilson led off with an infield hit, and Frantz sacrificed pinch-runner Liz Tuza to second. Then, sophomore Val Tipton grounded out, but UDM first baseman Dayna Rodrigues threw wildly in an attempt to get Tuza as she scampered back to second. The ball trickled into the outfield, enabling Tuza to take third. From there, she came home on a single by Johnson.
The Brown and Orange took the lead with a two-spot in the sixth. Machain led off with a single, and Phillips successfully executed another sacrifice bunt for the Brown and Orange. Voshell hit a fly ball to center that was dropped, putting runners at first and second.
The runners each moved up a base on a wild pitch with Rosemeier at bat, and the Falcon senior roped a double to right-center to score both Machain and Voshell, giving the Falcons a 5-3 lead.
The Titans came right back, however, scoring a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth. Peters singled with one out. Houle struck out pinch-hitter Brandy Barren for the second out, but Sikora singled and Rodrigues walked to load the bases. Then, Stephanie Mordus hit an infield grounder, but Voshell's throw to first was low and skipped away as two runs scored.
The next batter, Taucher, hit a hot grounder to freshman Sara Edwards at third base. Edwards, who had just been inserted into the game at the start of the half-inning, made the play to retire the side. But, the teams were tied, 5-5, entering the seventh.
The Falcons had no plans for extra innings, though. BGSU sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs in the frame. Val Tipton got things started with a leadoff single. Then, Edwards bunted down the third-base line for the Falcons' fourth sacrifice of the game. And, the throw to second base was late in an attempt to get pinch-runner Moore, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Pinch-hitter Kernahan hit an infield grounder for the first out, but moved the runners. Then, Machain doubled to left-center to score both Moore and Edwards to give the Falcons the lead for good. But, BG was far from finished.
Phillips singled up the middle, sending Machain to third and bringing on relief pitcher Raina Dailey. Voshell greeted Dailey with an RBI single to left-center. Then, Rosemeier hit her second double of the game, and her third of the day, scoring Phillips and sending Voshell to third.
Wilson hit an RBI grounder to short, but the throw to first was dropped, enabling Wilson to reach safely. Voshell scored and Rosemeier took third on the play.
Frantz lofted a fly ball to left field, and Rosemeier scored on the sac fly to give the Falcons a six-run lead. Then, Val Tipton ripped a double to center for her second hit of the inning, scoring Wilson. The RBI was Tipton's first of the season.
Houle retired the Titans in order to pick up her sixth win of the year. Houle allowed four hits and two runs, both unearned, in five-and-two-thirds innings. Houle issued two walks and struck out two.
The Falcons pounded out a season-high 18 hits in the game, with three players amassing three hits each. Phillips was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Machain was 3-of-5 with a pair of runs and a pair of RBI.
Rosemeier continued her torrid hitting, going 3-of-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and three RBI. Frantz, 1-for-2 with a walk, a sac bunt and a sac fly, also had three RBI in the game.
Wilson, Tipton and redshirt freshman Marla Murphy each had two-hit games, with Tipton's effort marking her first career multi-hit game.
The top four batters in the BG order -- Machain, Phillips, Voshell and Rosemeier -- each scored twice in the contest.
For the Titans, Peters was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Sikora scored two runs.
Peters suffered the loss in the circle, dropping to 9-9. She allowed 15 hits and nine runs (seven earned) in six-plus innings, walking three. Dailey got the final two outs, giving up three runs (one earned) and three hits.
The Falcons close the regular season with a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Ohio Sunday (May 5). BGSU needs a sweep of the Bobcats to keep hopes of a MAC Tournament appearance alive (more below).
FALCON SOFTBALL NOTES:
