Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EAST CAROLINA
Falcons Drop A Pair At Cougar Classic
March 12, 2004 | Softball
March 12, 2004
Final Stats -- East Carolina game
Final Stats -- UAB game
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The Bowling Green State University softball team suffered a pair of losses in Friday (March 12) action at the Cougar Classic, hosted by the College of Charleston. The Falcons fell to East Carolina by a 2-0 score before dropping an 8-3 decision to UAB.
BGSU, now 5-7 on the season, could manage only two hits in the first game, both off the bat of sophomore Gina Rango. Rango had a leadoff single in the second inning, but was stranded at third base after an Ashley Zirkle line drive was grabbed by the ECU second baseman to end the inning.
Rango's other hit came with one out in the seventh inning, and was followed by a Kristen Anderson hit that was misplayed for an error. Abby Habicht walked to load the bases with two outs, but the Falcons could not advance the runners any further.
The Pirates had put up a pair of runs in the fourth inning. ECU had only three hits off BGSU sophomore hurler Liz Vrabel, but all three safeties came in that fourth frame. Vrabel walked two batters and hit double digits in strikeouts for the second time on the young season, with 10 in six innings.
In the UAB game, the Falcons broke on top quickly, with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Lindsay Heimrich led off with a walk, and took second base on a single by freshman Megan McPherson. One out later, Rango reached on a throwing error, with Heimrich crossing the plate and McPherson taking third. McPherson would come home on Anderson's grounder.
Falcon senior pitcher Jody Johnson had allowed the Blazers to load the bases with one out in the first, but got a fly-ball out and a strikeout to end the inning. Then, she allowed only one hit over the next three innings, but UAB put together a five-run fifth inning.
A homerun began the inning, which included five hits and a BG error. Then, the Blazers scored three runs in the next frame, on only one hit and a pair of Falcon miscues.
In her complete-game effort, Johnson allowed eight runs (only five earned), walking four and striking out six.
The Blazers had 11 hits in the contest, and were aided by five BG errors. For the Falcons, Habicht had two of the team's six hits.
The Falcons return to action with several more games in the Cougar Classic Saturday (March 13), taking on Savannah State and host College of Charleston before tourney playoff action begins.
