Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Amazing Comeback Falls Short for BGSU in 9-8 Loss to EMU
March 20, 2005 | Baseball
March 20, 2005
Bowling Green, Ohio - An amazing comeback by Bowling Green was for nothing on Sunday afternoon, as visiting Eastern Michigan plated a run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 9-8 victory over the Falcons. The Falcons came all the way back with eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to knot the game, 8-8.
Leading the charge was sophomore Josh Stewart who began and ended the eight-run rally. He led off the ninth inning with a solo home run to right field, in what appeared to be a simple breakup of a shutout bid for the Eagles' pitching staff. However, eight batters later, Stewart came to the plate again, this time with the bases loaded and two outs, and hit a grand slam to left field to tie the game. The Dayton native had two home runs and five RBIs in the ninth inning alone!
Following Stewart's lead-off homer, senior Andy Hudak followed with a solo shot, making it an 8-2 EMU advantage. Nolan Reimold then doubled, Jay Threet singled, and Josh Dietz singled, making it an 8-3 Eagle lead. A bases loaded walk issued by Steve Bradshaw made it 8-4 and brought in Dan Puls for the save opportunity. But, he then gave up the four-run homer to Stewart.
Puls got Hudak to groundout to end the inning and in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the bases loaded, BGSU's Matt Hundley walked Derek Lehrman. That scored Ryan Arnett from third and gave EMU the 9-8 victory.
Just five of EMU's nine runs were earned thanks to three BGSU errors in the game. Starter Kyle Knoblauch scattered seven hits in five innings while walking three and striking out five. Keith Laughlin, Greg Becker and Brett Browning each pitched in relief before Hundley entered the game in the eighth inning and pitched the final 1.1 innings.
BGSU falls to 11-3 overall while EMU improves to 4-13 overall. Stewart ended the game 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored. He started the game in left field and ended it at catcher. He was the only Falcon with multiple hits in the game.
Due to a scheduling change, Sunday's game was originally supposed to be played in Ypsilanti, Mich., but was played in Bowling Green due to poor field conditions at EMU. Therefore, EMU was the home team while BGSU was the visiting team. Also, the three games this weekend were non-conference affairs.
BGSU travels to Xavier on Tuesday, March 22 (3 p.m.) then hosts Oakland University on Wednesday, March 23 (2 p.m.) at Warren Steller Field.
