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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Near No-Hitter by Alan Brech Downs Central Michigan, 2-0
April 01, 2005 | Baseball
April 1, 2005
Bowling Green, Ohio - Sophomore left-hander Alan Brech came within two outs of becoming part of Bowling Green history, tossing a no-hitter through eight and one-third innings in a 2-0 Falcon victory over visiting Central Michigan on Friday afternoon.
The Harrison, Ohio, native had retired 25 of 27 batters faced (walk, error) when 2004 All-American Jim Geldhof hit a one-out single past a diving Eric Lawson at second base to break up Brech's no-hit bid in the ninth inning. Brech would have become just the sixth different Falcon pitcher in the 86-year history of the program to pitch a complete-game no-hitter. Hall of Famer Orel Hershiser was the last BGSU pitcher to pitch a no-no back on May 4, 1979 at Kent State. Four Falcon pitchers combined for a no-hitter on April 5, 1995 vs. Sienna Heights. Earl Wittmer hurled three no-hitters during the 1922 and 1923 seasons.
J.T. Jones was the first Chippewa to reach base when BGSU third baseman Tyler Wasserman pulled Andy Hudak off first base with an errant throw in the fourth inning. The next CMU player to reach base was Jones, again, when he led off the seventh inning with a base-on-balls.
Senior Andy Hudak supplied BGSU with the only offense needed in the bottom of the sixth inning when he hit a bases-loaded single up the middle, plating Eric Lawson and Jeff Warnock. Hudak finished 2-for-4 while Kevin Longstreth was 2-for-3.
CMU's Ty Dunham (2-2) went the distance on the mound, allowing just seven hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. Brech (3-1) lasted 8.1 innings, giving up three hits, walking one, and striking out six. Senior Matt Hundley retired the final two hitters of the game when he entered with one out in the ninth inning and the bases loaded. Hundley earned his second save of the season.
BGSU improves to 15-6 overall and 1-3 in the Mid-American Conference. CMU drops to 15-8 overall and 0-1 in the MAC. The two teams continue their three-game series on Saturday, April 2, with a 1 p.m. contest at Warren Steller Field.
