Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Shuts Down Falcon Bats, 2-0
April 27, 2003 | Softball
April 27, 2003
DeKALB, Ill. - Amy Krahula threw a four-hit shutout as host Northern Illinois University recorded a 2-0 victory over the Bowling Green State University softball team Sunday afternoon (April 27). The win gave the Huskies a sweep of the teams' three-game Mid-American Conference series at Mary M. Bell Field.
With the victory, Northern improves to 21-18 overall and 11-6 in MAC action, while the Falcons fall to 21-23-1 and 12-9, respectively.
The Huskies scored single runs in the first and third innings. In the first, leadoff hitter Lisa Mattke got aboard with a single, and took second on a groundout. With two outs, cleanup hitter Paige Shemoski hit a fly ball to leftfield that BGSU senior Crystal Wilson lost in the sun. Mattke scored on the play to give the Huskies all the runs Krahula would need.
In the third, NIU again used the Mattke-Shemoski combination to plate a run. Mattke singled to lead off the frame, and moved to third base after a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. This time, Shemoski hit a liner to left that was ruled an error, as Mattke crossed the plate. The next hitter, Kelly Drozd, singled to left, but Wilson threw out Shemoski at the plate to end the inning.
However, Krahula had more than enough support. She allowed only five baserunners on the day, on four hits and a hit batter. Krahula had five strikeouts in improving to 12-7. She earned all three decisions on the weekend.
Freshman Liz Vrabel was the hard-luck loser, dropping to 13-9. Vrabel allowed just one earned run and five hits in her four innings of work, walking one batter and striking out three. The one 'earned' run, of course, came on the ball that was lost in the sun.
Freshman Lindsey Heimrich, who started the game at first base, pitched the final two innings for her first MAC appearance in the circle. Heimrich allowed one hit and one walk in her relief stint, striking out one batter.
The Huskies outhit the Falcons by a 6-4 margin, with Mattke the lone player in the game to have a two-hit day. She scored both of the game's runs.
Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Falcons are now tied with Miami University for the sixth and final MAC Tournament berth. The top-two teams in each division, plus the next two teams with the best records (based on winning percentage), regardless of division, qualify for the tourney, which will be held May 8-10 in Akron, Ohio.
The Falcons next take the field for a Tuesday (April 29) doubleheader at Cleveland State University, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m. BGSU then returns home for a three-game MAC series vs. Eastern Michigan University to close the regular season.
