Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OREGON STATE
No. 18/20 Oregon State Downs Falcons, 7-0, to Open NCAA Regional Play
May 20, 2004 | Softball
May 20, 2004
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - A pair of three-run innings by Oregon State University proved to be too much for the Bowling Green State University softball team, as the Beavers posted a 7-0 win over the Falcons Thursday morning (May 20). The game, the opening contest in the NCAA Region No. 6 Championship, was held at the University of Michigan's Alumni Field.
With the win, OSU improves to 41-26. The Beavers, seeded third in the eight-team, double-elimination regional, advance to play the winner of Thursday's second game, pitting Tennessee vs. Illinois at Chicago. The Falcons, the sixth seed, drop to 34-29 on the year, and will face the UT-UIC loser in Thursday's fifth and final game, scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start.
On an overcast day in Ann Arbor, the Beavers got a pair of runners aboard to start the bottom of the first, as Adrienne Alo drew a walk against senior starter Jody Johnson, and Mia Longfellow beat out a slow roller back to the circle. Then, Vanessa Iapala also walked, loading the bases with no outs for cleanup hitter Lisa Allen.
Johnson got Allen to ground to second baseman Megan McPherson, who threw to Abby Habicht for the force play at home and the first out. But, Kelly Petersen came through with a two-run single through the right side of the BG infield, with Allen advancing to third. A single up the middle by Brianne McGowan plated another run and prompted a BGSU pitching change.
Sophomore Liz Vrabel entered the game, and Sherina Galvan's bloop single to center loaded the bases. But, McPherson grabbed Ingrid Lochelt's liner just above the ground, then threw to first baseman Lindsay Heimrich to get a double play and get the Falcons out of the inning.
Vrabel retired the Beavers in order in the second inning, with some nice fielding plays by McPherson and sophomore third baseman Gina Rango. Meanwhile, OSU starter Monica Hoffman was perfect through two innings, striking out five consecutive BG hitters. But, Habicht led off the third inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and freshman Kari Steigerwald moved pinch-runner Marla Murphy to second with a sacrifice bunt.
Hoffman got the next batter, McPherson, to ground back to the circle, with Murphy taking third base on the out. But, the runner could advance no further, as Hoffman got a strikeout of freshman Jeanine Baca to end the inning.
Vrabel again got OSU in order in the bottom of the third, striking out Allen and Peterson. But, in the fifth, McGowan reached on a Falcon throwing error to begin the inning. Then, Galvan followed with a line-drive homer to left, giving the Beavers a 5-0 lead.
Lochelt made it back-to-back homers, with a drive to center, and the Falcons trailed by six. Steigerwald made a nice diving catch in rightfield to take away a hit attempt by Alana Mendoza for the first out, and snared a line drive by Alo for the second out of the inning. Vrabel got Longfellow to pop up to Jenifer Kernahan at short to end the inning.
Junior Kristen Anderson led off with an infield single in the fifth, as she eluded first baseman Iapala's tag attempt. Habicht drew a one-out walk, giving the Falcons two baserunners for the first time in the game. But, Hoffman got a pair of strikeouts to keep the Brown and Orange off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the sixth, McGowan hit Vrabel's first pitch for a long homer over the bullpen beyond the left-field fence. Vrabel then retired the next three, including an inning-ending double play on a Mendoza liner to Kernahan at short.
Hoffman retired the Falcons in order in the seventh to preserve her shutout. The OSU hurler allowed only two hits in improving to 20-16 on the year. She walked one batter and struck out 12.
Johnson took the loss for the Falcons, falling to 14-10. She allowed three runs on three hits, walking a pair of batters. Vrabel gave up four runs (three earned) during her five-and-two-thirds innings of relief work. She gave up five hits and struck out a pair of batters without issuing a walk.
McGowan , Galvan and Lochelt each had two-hit games for the Beavers. McGowan scored twice and drove in two runs, while Galvan and Peterson each had two RBI as well.
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