Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Get Split In Sunday Doubleheader at Eastern Michigan
March 30, 2003 | Baseball
March 30, 2003
Ypsilanti, Mich. - Bowling Green registered a 3-1 victory over Eastern Michigan in the series finale on Sunday afternoon in Ypsilanti, Mich. after dropping game one, 4-2, in 10 innings. EMU took three of four games from the Falcons on the weekend, with the three wins all coming by two runs or less.
In the second game on Sunday, BGSU redshirt-sophomore Keith Laughlin picked up his second win of the season by pitching all seven innings and giving up just one unearned run in the second inning. The left-hander allowed just four hits, one walk, and struck out three batters.
"We needed a strong outing from Laughlin and that's what we got," said BGSU coach Danny Schmitz. "I thought our team showed some character in the game."
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Jesse Sobol singled home Jeff Warnock, and Tyler Wasserman scored from third base after Sobol stole second base and the catcher's throw sailed into center field.
EMU tallied a run in the bottom of the second inning to cut the lead to 2-1 and were threatening again in the fifth inning. With runners on second and third with no outs, Laughlin got Brad Hrovat to ground out to third base for the first out. Then, Ryan Arnett flew out to David Barkholz in center field for the second out. Barkholz caught the ball on the run and threw to catcher Jesse Sobol to get Tim Clouse by two steps at home plate for the third out of the inning.
Barkholz then added a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning for the final 3-1 verdict. It was his team-leading fourth homer of the season. BGSU held a nine to four advantage in hits for the game while stranding nine runners to EMU's three.
In the first game on Sunday, BGSU also held an early 2-0 lead. This time, freshman Nolan Reimold singled down the right-field line in the bottom of the third inning, scoring both Bobby Majer and Tyler Wasserman. BGSU was the home team in game one, which was supposed to have been played in Bowling Green on Saturday.
On the mound, junior Kyle Knoblauch was cruising. The 6-foot-8 right-hander allowed just four hits and no runs over the first five innings of the game. In the sixth inning, though, Ryan Goleski singled home Brian Bixler with one out for the first earned run given up by Knoblauch this season. The run broke a string of 28.2 innings pitched without giving up an earned run this season and 31.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run dating back to last season.
The Eagles scored another run in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2 before scoring two more in the top of the 10th inning for the final 4-2 win. EMU stranded 10 runners while BGSU left seven on base. The Eagles held a 12 to seven advantage in hits.
Knoblauch pitched eight innings and did not get the decision. He allowed 10 hits (nine singles), while walking just one and striking out two. Burke Badenhop (1-2) pitched the ninth inning and two outs of the 10th inning and suffered the loss. Doug Flere got the final out of the 10th inning for the Falcons.
BGSU is now 5-11 overall and 3-3 in the Mid-American Conference. EMU improved to 6-11 overall and are now 3-1 in the MAC. The Falcons play non-conference games for the next week, beginning with one game at Cleveland State on Wednesday, April 2 at 2 p.m.
NOTES....
* JR Kyle Knoblauch now has a 0.57 ERA in 31.1 innings pitched this season (two earned runs). He has walked just five with 15 strikeouts. Opposing batters are hitting .237 against him.
* SR Kelly Hunt improved his hitting streak to eight games while raising his batting average to a team-best .419 in 16 games. Hunt has failed to get a hit in just two of those 16 games played. He has 26 hits in 62 at-bats this year, including nine walks. He was 12 of 22 in six games last week (.545 avg.). Eleven of those 12 hits were singles (one double).
