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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
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WESTERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Buck Broncos, 7-1, To Take Series
April 10, 2004 | Softball
April 10, 2004
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team used a four-run third inning as a springboard for a 7-1 win over Western Michigan University Saturday afternoon (April 10). The win gave the Falcons a 2-1 record in the teams' Mid-American Conference weekend series at the BGSU Softball Field.
With Saturday's win, the Falcons improve to 15-20 overall and 4-4 in MAC play, while the Broncos drop to 19-18 and 6-4, respectively.
BGSU sophomore Liz Vrabel and WMU senior Laura Stewart, who battled to a scoreless standoff for 11-plus innings in Friday's series opener, again were matched up on Saturday. And, both pitchers started off well. Stewart allowed a first-inning double to Falcon sophomore Lindsay Heimrich, but retired the next five hitters.
Vrabel did not allow a hit until a two-out single by Mary McCloskey in the third, but got the next batter to ground out to Heimrich at first. The Falcons then broke the scoreless deadlock in a big way, with a leadoff bunt sparking a four-run inning.
In the Falcon half of the third, freshman Emmy Ramsey started things off by beating out a bunt for her first collegiate hit. One out later, classmate Jeanine Baca singled up the middle. Ramsey took third on the hit, with Baca moving up a base on the throw to third.
The next hitter, Heimrich, laid down a bunt toward the first-base side. The Broncos' Amy Fleming grabbed the ball and flipped it to catcher Stefanie Scheumann, but Ramsey eluded the tag attempt and slid home safely with the game's first run.
Then, sophomore Gina Rango drew a walk to load the bases with one out for Jenifer Kernahan. The senior responded by hitting a fly ball deep to rightfield. The Broncos' McCloskey ranged back and made the catch, but Baca was able to tag and score easily.
Junior Kristen Anderson came up big with two outs, as her bloop single found a hole between three Broncos in left-center, scoring Heimrich and Rango to double the BG lead.
In the fourth, Kally Graham entered the game in relief of Stewart, and Abby Habicht led off by reaching on an error. Then, Stephanie Finkel singled through the left side of the Bronco infield, and Ramsey moved the runners along with a sac bunt. But, Graham, a freshman making just her second collegiate appearance, got pinch-hitter Melissa Wagner to hit a soft liner to short, then got an inning-ending grounder to third.
Shortstop Kernahan robbed Kelly Barnett of a hit in the sixth, leaping high to grab Barnett's soft liner that seemed ticketed for leftfield. But, the Broncos got on the board with a two-out rally. Fleming drew a walk, took second on a Melissa Brink single and scored on a hit up the middle by Kristi Strange.
The Falcons, however, got that run, plus a few more, back in the bottom of the sixth. For the second-straight at-bat, Habicht led off an inning by getting on base. The sophomore catcher drew a walk, and alertly tagged and took second on a fly-ball out. Ramsey beat out a bunt for her second hit of the day, with Habicht moving to third. After a Ramsey stolen base, Megan McPherson's infield hit loaded the bases.
Baca hit a grounder to shortstop, and Habicht scored when the throw home was high. Then, Heimrich put an exclamation point on the inning with a long double over the centerfielder's head, scoring two more runs.
Vrabel retired the Broncos in the seventh, with a hit erased by a nifty Kernahan-to-Heimrich double play to end the game.
Vrabel, who struck out a career-high 14 hitters en route to the win in Friday's opening game, had only two strikeouts in Saturday's win, but got 11 ground-ball outs in the latter game. She allowed one run and six hits, walking one batter, and improved to 8-10 on the year.
Stewart (13-9) took the loss, giving up four runs and four hits in her three innings of work. She walked one batter and struck out one.
Graham surrendered three runs (two earned) and five hits in three innings, walking one and fanning two.
At the plate, Heimrich led the nine-hit Falcon attack. She was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and three RBI. Ramsey was 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base and a pair of runs scored, while Anderson had two RBI. Six different Broncos had one hit apiece in the game.
The Falcons conclude a five-game homestand with a non-conference doubleheader vs. Oakland University on Monday (April 12). The first game is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field.
