Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eagles, Errors Too Much For Falcons, 3-2
May 01, 2004 | Softball
May 1, 2004
YPSILANTI, Mich. - A seventh-inning comeback by the Bowling Green State University softball team went for naught, as host Eastern Michigan University scored the winning run in the eighth for a 3-2 win over the Falcons Saturday afternoon (May 1). The Mid-American Conference game was held at EMU's Varsity Field.
The win improves the Eagles' records to 14-25 overall and 4-12 in MAC play, while the Falcons drop to 27-24 and 11-8, respectively. The loss snapped a season-high six-game winning streak for the Brown and Orange.
The second game of Saturday's scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to rain. The Falcons and Eagles will attempt to play a pair of games on Sunday (May 2), beginning at 1:00 p.m.
On Saturday, BGSU fielders committed a total of five errors, tying a season high. The miscues would come back to bite the Falcons, as all three Eagle runs in the game were unearned.
Eastern Michigan got on the board with one of those unearned markers in the first inning against Falcon sophomore Liz Vrabel. Kelly Gulliver led off with an infield single, then stole second. One out later, Nikki Denman reached on a Falcon error, as shortstop Jenifer Kernahan couldn't come up with the ball in an attempt to get Gulliver.
With runners at first and third, the next batter, cleanup hitter Deanna Wisnieski, laid down a nearly perfect bunt. As the Falcon corner infielders charged in anticipation of the upcoming bunt, and BG second baseman Megan McPherson covered first base, Wisnieski sent the ball toward the spot McPherson had just vacated, allowing Gulliver to score easily.
Denman, the Eagles' starting pitcher, had allowed an infield single to freshman Jeanine Baca to lead off the game, but then retired seven consecutive Falcon batters before McPherson drew a one-out walk in the third. But, Denman immediately got a grounder to second for an inning-ending double play.
The Eagles doubled the lead in the fifth, on a play that provided an eerie flashback for Falcon fans. With two outs, Gulliver reached on an infield hit. Then, she stole second, and continued on to third when the throw sailed into centerfield. The ensuing throw was wide of third for another error, allowing Gulliver to come all the way around to score.
The play was nearly identical to Monday's (April 27) game vs. Cleveland State, as the Vikings scored their lone run on a stolen base and a pair of BG errors.
Meanwhile, Denman was sailing right along, retiring the Falcons in order in the sixth. She took a one-hitter into the seventh, but then gave up four hits as BG tied the score.
Sophomore Lindsay Heimrich led off that inning by beating out a grounder to shortstop. Classmate Gina Rango followed with a line drive over rightfielder Lauren Allen's head for a double, with Heimrich advancing to third.
Denman got junior Kristen Anderson to pop up for the first out, but Kernahan worked the count to full before lacing a sharp single up the middle. Heimrich scored easily, and Rango also scored ahead of the throw, with Kernahan taking second on the play.
One out later, junior Stephanie Finkel lined a single to right, but Allen's throw was on line to gun down pinch-runner Marla Murphy at the plate, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles nearly won the contest. Liz Flack reached base on a one-out infield hit that Vrabel deflected, but could not grab. With two outs and Flack off with the pitch, Genny Hann reached base on a grounder to third, as the umpire ruled that first baseman Heimrich took her foot off the bag. Flack then tried to come all the way around to score, but Heimrich whipped a throw to catcher Abby Habicht, who blocked the plate and tagged Flack out to send the contest to extra innings.
The Eagles got the leadoff hitter aboard in the eighth, as Gulliver reached on an error and promptly stole second. Vrabel got Lauren Clark to ground to Heimrich at first base for the first out, but Gulliver advanced to third.
The Falcons then issued intentional walks to Denman and Wisnieski to load the bases, bringing Carolyn Grutza to the plate. Vrabel got her to pop up to McPherson for the second out of the inning, but walked Katie Grens to force home Gulliver with the winning run.
Denman picked up the win to improve to 4-5. She allowed two earned runs and five hits in her eight innings of work, walking one batter and striking out seven.
Vrabel pitched well enough to win, allowing five hits, with none leaving the infield. She did not surrender an earned run, and allowed only two balls -- both fly-ball outs -- out of the infield in her seven and two-thirds innings of work. Vrabel walked three batters (two were intentional walks) and fanned four, but suffered the loss to drop to 14-13 on the year.
At the plate, Gulliver had two hits to lead the hosts. She scored all three runs in the game for the Eagles.
Five different Falcons had one hit apiece in the contest.
As mentioned, the teams will return to Varsity Field on Sunday afternoon (May 2), and the Falcons and Eagles will attempt to play the final two games of the three-game weekend series. First pitch of Sunday's first game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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