Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MARSHALL
Marshall Takes Two From Falcons
March 31, 2004 | Softball
March 31, 2004
Final Stats -- Game One
Final Stats -- Game Two
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team's home-opening doubleheader did not go as the Falcons had hoped. On a cold, rainy day at the BGSU Softball Field, visiting Marshall University picked up a pair of wins by scores of 4-2 and 10-1 (second game six innings) in a Mid-American Conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.
With the wins, the Thundering Herd improves to 22-14 overall and a perfect 4-0 in MAC play. Marshall was picked to win the MAC's East Division and tournament championships in the preseason coaches poll. The Falcons drop to 12-16 overall and 2-3 in league play.
Freshman Ashley Zirkle hit her first collegiate homerun in the opening game, while sophomore Gina Rango's homer accounted for BGSU's lone run in the nightcap.
The teams matched zeroes through the first two innings of the opener. The Thundering Herd threatened to score against Falcon sophomore Liz Vrabel in the opening inning, as Jessica Williams led off with a single, and Sierra Davenport's bunt hit put two runners aboard. Then, a double steal put both runners in scoring position. But, Vrabel then got both Amanda Williams and Leigh Wintter looking, and made Sarah Wilson swing and miss for her third-straight strikeout.
In the second inning, Vrabel again struck out the side, giving her six strikeouts in as many batters. But, the Thundering Herd broke through for three third-inning runs. Jessica Williams had a one-out single off Vrabel's glove, and Davenport bunted her to second. Then, Amanda Williams doubled to deep leftfield to score her sister. The Williams sisters each had five hits on the day.
Then, Wintter reached on an infield error, with Amanda Williams coming around to score. Marshall got a second unearned run after Wilson's sinking liner went for a double that plated Wintter.
The Falcons got a run back in the fourth inning, when freshman Ashley Zirkle deposited a Randi Nielson offering over the fence in left. The one-out homer, the Falcons' first hit of the day, was Zirkle's first collegiate round-tripper.
BGSU got another run in the fifth, and very nearly tied the game. Sophomore Lindsay Heimrich singled up the middle with one out, and came around to score when classmate Gina Rango drilled a ball over Wilson's head in left for a double. Rango took third when the Herd threw home in an attempt to get Heimrich.
Then, senior Jenifer Kernahan hit a liner that was caught by Wilson. Rango tagged and scored ahead of the throw home, and it appeared the Falcons had tied the score.
But, after Marshall appealed, the umpires ruled that Rango had left third base too early, and she was ruled out to end the inning.
The Herd got a key insurance run in the seventh. Jessica Williams doubled, and after a sacrifice bunt, stood on third with two outs. Vrabel got Amanda Williams to hit an infield grounder, but a BG error allowed one sister to reach first base safely and the other to come around to score.
Nielson, the reigning MAC Pitcher of the Year, had left the game after giving up a leadoff single in the sixth inning. Her replacement, Abigail Harter, allowed a Jeanine Baca single in the bottom of the seventh inning, but got a groundout and a strikeout to end the game.
Nielson allowed two runs and four hits in improving to 10-7 on the year. She issued three walks while striking out two batters. Harter picked up the save with two innings of one-hit shutout ball.
Vrabel was the hard-luck loster, allowing just one earned run in her complete-game effort. Vrabel gave up eight hits, but struck out seven without walking a batter. She drops to 6-9 on the season.
For the Herd, Jessica Williams had three hits and scored a pair of runs, while Amanda Williams had two of Marshall's eight hits. Five different Falcon players had a hit apiece.
The second game was scoreless through the first three innings. Marshall starting pitcher Sarah Chamberlain did not allow a hit during that time. Her counterpart, senior Jody Johnson, pitched a one-two-three first inning, but allowed a leadoff walk in the second inning. Pinch-runner Noelle Adams stole second, one of seven thefts on the day for the Herd, and Allison Webb then hit a bloop single to centerfield. But, Baca's throw was on line, and sophomore catcher Abby Habicht tagged out Adams in a collision at the plate.
Marshall got on the board in the fourth, however. Amanda Williams singled with one out, and Wintter followed with a single of her own. Williams went to third on the play, and continued home when the throw attempting to cut her down sailed into the BG dugout. MU's fourth unearned run of the day gave the Herd a 1-0 lead.
Rango erased that margin with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth. After Chamberlain had not allowed a hit through the first three frames, Rango spoiled both the no-hit and shutout bids with a homer to left, tying the game.
But, the wheels fell off for the Falcons in the fifth inning, as MU scored five runs on just two hits, but four BG errors. The inning began with Jennifer Susman reaching on catcher's interference. The next batter, Sara Spenia, attempted to bunt, but both runners were safe when the throw to second was off-line.
Then, pinch-runner Ashley Mitchell attempted to steal third, and scored when the throw was wide of third and skipped past the outfielder's glove. Then, a pair of wild pitches, sandwiched around a walk, scored another run. Jessica Williams then reached on an infield single, putting runners at first and third. Another error produced a run before the Falcons finally got a grounder for the first out. But, an Amanda Williams triple plated her sister, and she later scored on an illegal pitch. Not surprisingly, all five runs in the inning were unearned.
MU picked up four more runs in the sixth inning, with the key plays coming on a Jessica Williams RBI single, a Davenport bunt hit that scored another run, and a two-run triple by Amanda Williams, her second three-bagger in as many innings.
When the Falcons could not score in the bottom of the sixth, the Herd had the win via the 'run rule.' Chamberlain picked up the victory with a two-hitter. She had seven strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Johnson took the loss, dropping to 5-5. She allowed four earned runs and eight hits in the game, walking four batters and whiffing three.
For the Herd, the Williams sisters again led the way. Amanda had three hits and three RBI, while Jessica had a pair of hits.
In addition to Rango, Marla Murphy had a hit for the Brown and Orange.
The Falcons will look to rebound with a pair of non-conference weekend doubleheaders. BG will head to Fort Wayne, Ind., for a Saturday (April 3) twinbill vs. IPFW, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Then, BG will take on Indiana University in a noon start the next day.
NOTES
