Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MIAMI (OH)
Machain Uses Bat, Glove To Help BG To Sweep Of Miami
April 09, 2003 | Softball
April 9, 2003
Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team got solid pitching and timely hitting and fielding to post a doubleheader sweep of visiting Miami University Wednesday afternoon (April 9). The Falcons captured the Mid-American Conference twinbill by scores of 2-1 and 3-1 at the BGSU Softball Field.
With the victories, the Falcons improved to 15-17-1 overall and 6-5 in MAC action, and BG extended the current winning streak to a season-high six games. Miami dropped to 11-18 overall and 5-7 in league action.
Senior Kandice Machain played a big part in the opening-game win. Machain drove in the game-winning run with a fifth-inning double, then made a highlight-reel catch in centerfield in the seventh inning to preserve the Falcons' lead.
The Brown and Orange also got another solid pitching performance from freshman Liz Vrabel. Vrabel went all the way for a complete-game four-hitter, allowing only an unearned run, to improve to 9-6 on the season.
Vrabel and MU hurler Jackie Poggendorf each threw three innings of shutout ball, before the RedHawks broke on top in the fourth inning without hitting a ball out of the infield.
Jess Zogaib led off the inning by reaching base on a BG infield error, then stole second base. Zogaib then took third on an infield hit by Becca Garcia, and Poggendorf helped her own cause. The MU pitcher hit a grounder in the hole between shortstop and third base. BG shortstop Libby Voshell made a diving stop of the ball, but had no play as Poggendorf reached first and Zogaib crossed the plate.
The Falcons responded quickly, however, scoring a run in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Lindsay Heimrich led off the frame by drawing a walk. Then, she took second base when catcher Garcia's throw to first sailed down the right-field line in a failed pickoff attempt. Poggendorf recovered to get a strikeout and a foul pop, but junior Jenifer Kernahan laced a single to left which scored Heimrich with the tying run.
BGSU scored what would prove to be the winning run in the fifth inning. Sophomore Stephanie Finkel led off the inning with a double down the rightfield line, and took third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Abby Habicht. Poggendorf got a popup for the second out of the inning, but Machain came through with a run-scoring double to left-center.
Machain's bat helped the Falcons take the lead, but her glovework may have saved the win. With the home team still leading by a 2-1 count in the seventh inning, Miami coach Angie Jacobs called upon pinch-hitter Allison Maxey. With one out, Maxey drilled a ball over Machain's head in center. The Falcon senior, running toward the wall with her back to the plate, made a dive and, with her body fully extended, caught the ball as she landed on the warning track just in front of the wall. The catch was reminiscent of one made by major leaguer Jim Edmonds that was replayed ad nauseam on national highlight shows.
Vrabel then issued a two-out walk, but got Zogaib to ground out toe shortstop to end the game. Vrabel walked three batters and struck out seven in the win.
Poggendorf was the hard-luck loser, dropping to 3-10 despite allowing only two runs (one earned) and five hits in her complete-game effort. The MU sophomore walked one batter and struck out three.
Kernahan had three of the Falcons' five hits in the game, going 3-for-3 with two doubles. Four of BG's five hits were of the two-base variety.
In the second game, the Brown and Orange again outhit the RedHawks by a 5-4 margin. This time, BGSU got a solid pitching performance from junior Jody Johnson.
The Falcons took the lead off MU hurler Courtney Salmon in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman Gina Rango led off the inning with an infield hit, and took second on Kernahan's sac bunt. Then, senior Crystal Wilson lined a single to center to plate Rango with the game's first run.
The 'Hawks came right back with a run in the top of the third. Jacque Molinaro drew a leadoff walk, but Johnson induced Laura to pop up on a bunt attempt for the first out. Then, Jamie Carey successfully bunted Molinaro to second, and Zogaib came through with a two-out single to rightfield to tie the game.
The Brown and Orange took the lead with some timely hitting, and a little good fortune, in the fourth. Voshell began the inning with a single, and Rango attempted to bunt her over. Rango popped up the bunt attempt, but the ball went just over the glove of charging third baseman Keri McCready and dropped for an infield hit as Voshell took second.
The next hitter, Kernahan, laced a single to center, scoring Voshell with the go-ahead run. Centerfielder Carey's throw home was on line, but the ball trickled away from catcher Garcia as Voshell scored. Both Kernahan and Rango took an extra base on the throw home.
Salmon got a grounder back to the circle for the first out of the inning, but a passed ball then allowed Rango to score an insurance run.
Johnson allowed a Zogaib double in the fifth inning, but then got Chelsea McWhorter to hit a liner to Rango for the third out. In the sixth, however, the RedHawks posted another threat.
With two outs and Poggendorf on second, McCready hit a ball deep in the hole between short and third. Voshell made a dive to her right to stop the ball, then quickly flipped the ball to Rango, who applied the tag to Poggendorf for the third out of the inning. Johnson retired the RedHawks in order in the seventh to close out the win.
Johnson improved to 3-4 with the four-hitter, allowing only one run. She walked three batters and had four strikeouts in the contest. Salmon dropped to 8-8, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned). She fanned five Falcons and did not issue a walk.
At the plate, Rango went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while Kernahan had another hit to cap a 4-for-5 day at the plate. Zogaib had two of the RedHawks' four hits.
The Miami twinbill capped a perfect 6-0 homestand for the Falcons, who now return to the road for weekend action. BGSU will head to Muncie, Ind., for a three-game series vs. Ball State University, with the teams scheduled to play a Saturday (April 12) doubleheader and a Sunday (April 13) single game.
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