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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OHIO
BG blanks Bobcats, 3-0
March 09, 2003 | Softball
March 9, 2003
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bowling Green State University pitchers Kristen Anderson and Jody Johnson combined for a seven-hit shutout, as the Falcons blanked Ohio University by a 3-0 count Sunday (March 9). The non-conference game between MAC schools, part of the Red and Black Classic, was held at Louisville's Ulmer Stadium.
With the victory, the Falcons move to 4-4 on the season, while the Bobcats drop to 1-4 on the year.
Anderson (1-0), a sophomore, picked up her first win as a Falcon, with four innings of work. The Eastern Michigan transfer allowed six hits, but did not walk a batter while striking out three.
Johnson picked up the Falcons' first save of the season with three innings of one-hit relief. She walked two batters and fanned one.
BG got a second-inning run, which would prove to be all the Falcons would need. With one out, senior Crystal Wilson singled and stole second. Wilson took third on freshman Abby Habicht's single up the middle, and scored on a bunt single by redshirt sophomore Marla Murphy.
The Bobcats, picked to win the MAC's East Division in the preseason coaches poll, threatened in the fourth. Lyndsay Eirich singled with one out, and pinch-runner Sarah Melvin took second when Shannon Weidner's sacrifice-bunt attempt was mishandled for an error. Then, Georgia Villard singled to right, but Falcon outfielder Valerie Tipton threw Melvin out at the plate for the second out of the inning. Anderson hit Randi Rico with a pitch to load the bases, but got Robin Miller to ground out to end the threat.
The very next inning, OU had runners on second and third with two outs, but Johnson induced Eirich to ground out to end the inning.
Wilson provided some insurance in the sixth. Freshman Gina Rango singled with one out, and Tipton had a two-out single, with Rango going to third on the play and Tipton taking second on the throw. Then, Wilson had a two-run single to plate both Rango and Tipton.
Johnson pitched a one-two-three sixth inning, and got out of the seventh inning after issuing a pair of walks. The save was her first since her freshman year of 2001.
BGSU pounded out a season-high 10 hits in the game, with Murphy, Rango, Wilson and senior Libby Voshell all going 2-for-3 in the win. Crystal Turner and Erin Chapman each had two of the Bobcats' seven hits.
Kristie Howe (0-1) took the complete-game loss for Ohio, striking out three batters without issuing a walk.
The shutout was the Falcons' fourth of the young season. BGSU had a total of one shutout during all of 2002.
BGSU was slated to return to the diamond for a Sunday afternoon game vs. the host University of Louisville, completing the Falcons' action in the Red and Black Classic.
