Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OAKLAND
Lindsay Heimrich's No-Hitter Sparks Falcons' DH Sweep
April 12, 2004 | Softball
April 12, 2004
Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University sophomore Lindsay Heimrich threw a no-hitter as the Falcons opened a doubleheader with a 2-0 win over Oakland University Monday afternoon (April 12). The Falcons completed a sweep of the non-conference twinbill with a 10-2, five-inning decision in the day's second game at the BGSU Softball Field.
With the wins, the Falcons improve to 17-20 on the season, while dropping the Golden Grizzlies to 9-26.
Heimrich, who took a perfect game into the sixth inning, struck out a career-high 10 batters in the opener. The only two OU baserunners came on two-out walks in the sixth and seventh frames.
On a chilly, blustery day, the teams battled through two-and-a-half scoreless innings before the Falcons got on the board against Korey Schluckbier. Freshman Emmy Ramsey led off with a bunt single, and took second base on classmate Megan McPherson's sacrifice bunt. Another frosh, Jeanine Baca, reached safely on a grounder to shortstop, but Schluckbier got Heimrich to pop up for the second out. Sophomore Gina Rango, though, followed with a sharp single to left to score Ramsey with the game's first run.
The Falcons added to the lead in the fourth, as junior Kristen Anderson began the inning with a solo homerun to left, her fourth round-tripper of the season. Freshmen Maggie Tudor and Ramsey each singled later in the frame, but Schluckbier got out of the jam without further damage.
Meanwhile, Heimrich was cruising along. She retired the first 17 batters before walking Stephanie Brillhart with two outs in the sixth. On the next pitch, however, Heimrich induced Toni Salo to hit a one-hopper back to the circle, and she threw to first for the final out of the inning.
Heimrich also walked Katie Jones with two down in the seventh, but got Nicole Marzano to ground out the second and preserve the no-hitter.
Heimrich improved to 3-4 on the season with her second shutout of the year. She did not allow a ball out of the infield, with 10 groundouts, 10 strikeouts and a soft liner back to her in the circle.
 Junior Kristen Anderson homers during the game-one win over Oakland (photo by Jonathan Willey)  |
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At the plate, Ramsey went 2-for-3 to lead a seven-hit Falcon attack. Anderson's homer was the lone extra-base hit.
In the second game, the Grizzlies got on the board first against BG senior Jody Johnson. Oakland's first hit of the day came on a Marzano double to lead off the second inning. She took second on a sac bunt, and scored on a Maria Benza base hit.
In the bottom of the inning, the Falcons loaded the bases with no outs. Senior Jenifer Kernahan led off with a walk, and Anderon and sophomore Abby Habicht each singled. OU pitcher Marzano got a force out at the plate, but then walked Ramsey to score Anderson. Marzano got two more grounders, however, leading to two more force plays at home to get out of the inning with the score deadlocked at 1-1.
The visitors took the lead with an unearned run in the third. Christina Schulte drew a one-out walk, and Jones, attempting to bunt the runner over, reached on a BG throwing error, with Schulte taking third. Marzano then laid down a bunt, and everyone was safe on the fielder's choice, with Schulte scoring to go-ahead run. The Grizzlies loaded the bases with two outs, but Johnson got an inning-ending grounder to second.
BGSU responded by getting a pair of runs vs. reliever Camie Knorr in the bottom of the third. Heimrich reached second on a dropped popup on the grass behind first base, and took third on a Rango single. Rango advanced to second on that play, then each runner moved up on a wild pitch, with Heimrich scoring to tie the game.
One out later, Anderson put down a nifty bunt, with Rango scoring the go-ahead run as Anderson was just nipped at first.
The next inning, the Brown and Orange put three more runs on the board. Freshman Kari Steigerwald led off with a bunt single, and took second on a sac bunt by Ramsey. McPherson then singled, with Steigerwald moving up a base. McPherson was caught in a rundown on the play, but wound up safe at second base as Steigerwald scored. Then, Baca reached on an error, and Heimrich followed with a single to plate McPherson.
One out later, Kernahan's sharp single to left plated Baca to give BG a 6-2 lead.
The Falcons broke the game wide open in the fifth. Habicht led off with a double to left-center, then scored on Steigerwald's stand-up triple into the left-field corner. Ramsey hit a hard shot up the middle. Knorr was able to stick out her glove and deflect it, but Ramsey was safe on the infield single as Steigerwald scored.
Knorr got a pair of outs, but Heimrich laced a double over the centerfielder's head to plate Natalie Armintrout, and Rango followed with a double of her own, high off the wall in left-center. Heimrich scored on the play to put the Falcons ahead by eight and end the game due to the 'run rule.'
Johnson picked up the win to improve to 6-6 on the season. She allowed two runs (one earned) and only three hits in her complete-game effort. Johnson did walk five batters, but struck out five.
Knorr took the loss in relief of Marzano. Knorr (0-5) allowed nine runs (six earned) and 10 hits, striking out one Falcon hitter. Marzano allowed a run and two hits in two innings, walking two batters.
Four different Falcons had two hits apiece as BG pounded out 12 hits in the game. Heimrich was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBI. Steigerwald was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Rango and Habicht each had a pair of safeties, including a double. Ramsey had two RBI in the win.
Marzano had a run scored and an RBI for the Golden Grizzlies, who left nine runners on base in the game to BG's six.
The Falcons now head to New York for a Wednesday (April 14) twinbill vs. Buffalo, before returning home for a three-game weekend series vs. Ball State.
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