Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
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Two More Shutouts as Falcons Sweep IPFW
April 10, 2005 | Softball
April 10, 2005
Game 1 Stats - Bowling Green 4, IPFW 0
Game 2 Stats - Bowling Green 8, IPFW 0 (6 inn.)
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - For the second consecutive day, the Bowling Green State University softball team got stellar pitching, and the result was a second-straight doubleheader sweep. This time, the victim was IPFW, and the Falcons picked up wins by scores of 4-0 and 8-0 -- with the second game lasting six innings -- at the BGSU Softball Field Sunday afternoon (April 10).
With the wins, the Falcons are now 17-20 on the season, and BGSU has won four consecutive games, all by shutout. The visiting Mastodons drop to 5-22 on the year.
Senior Kristen Anderson scattered six hits in the opener, picking up her first shutout of the season. In the second game, freshman Emily Gouge allowed just two hits in throwing her second shutout in as many days, and the Falcons scored a season-high eight runs.
The Mastodons got some early baserunners, as Kacie Stone singled with one out in the first inning, and Kari Butler followed with a bloop single over BG second baseman Megan McPherson's head. But, Anderson struck out IPFW cleanup hitter Jenna Beachy, then got Natalie Clark to ground to first for the final out.
IPFW starter Kady Elliott set down the Falcons in order in the first, but allowed a pair of unearned runs in the second inning. With one out, freshman Allison Vallas drew a walk, and Anderson followed with a grounder to third base. Stone fielded the ball and threw to second in an attempt to get Vallas in a rundown. But, the throw sailed wide of second and into right-centerfield. When the dust had settled, Vallas had scored and Anderson was standing at third base. Anderson crossed the plate on D.J. DeLong's grounder.
Despite scoring those runs, the Falcons were hitless until sophomore Jeanine Baca led off the fourth inning with a double over centerfielder Clark's head. Junior Gina Rango followed with a double of her own, to the wall in left-center, as Baca trotted home with the Falcons' third run of the game.
With the next hitter, Vallas, at the plate, Rango took third on a wild pitch. Vallas then lifted a fly ball into shallow rightfield, with Rango scoring on the play. The sacrifice fly made the score 4-0, Falcons.
The `Dons put runners at the corners with two outs in the fifth, as Tierni Green beat out a grounder deep in the hole at short, then took third on Stone's hit-and-run single. But, Anderson got Butler to hit a ball back to the circle, throwing to first to retire the side. The only baserunner she would allow the rest of the way was a sixth-inning walk.
Anderson's victory was her first of the season, evening her record at 1-1. She lowered her season earned-run average to 0.35, allowing just the one walk and six hits, while striking out three.
Elliott was the tough-luck loser for the Mastodons, coming out of the game with a four-run deficit despite allowing only two hits in four innings (plus one batter). Elliott, who fell to 0-2 on the season, allowed four runs, only two of which were earned, and walked a pair of batters. Beth Harmon pitched two innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out one.
At the plate, the `Dons outhit the Falcons by a 6-3 count, with Stone going 2-for-3. Rango had two of the Falcons' three hits, scoring one run and driving in one run. Vallas also had a run and an RBI.
The second game was scoreless for two-and-a-half innings, but the Falcons took a two-run lead against IPFW starter Jenna Connelly in the third. McPherson beat out an infield grounder for a one-out hit, and took second on a grounder by sophomore Angie Ortiz. The next hitter, Baca, beat out another infield grounder, with McPherson taking third. Both runners scored when Rango lined a pitch off the third baseman's glove and down the left-field line.
Meanwhile, Gouge was mowing down the Mastodon lineup. The freshman retired 13 hitters in a row after allowing a two-out single in the first inning, and struck out six consecutive batters during that time.
BGSU increased the lead with three runs in the fourth inning, then ended the contest with three more runs in the sixth.
The bottom of the fourth started slowly for the Falcons, as the first two batters were retired. Then, however, the next four hitters reached base, with three crossing the plate. Freshman Brecken Libbe singled, and took second on sophomore Emmy Ramsey's infield hit. McPherson's grounder went under the glove of first baseman Heather DeVore, loading the bases, before Ortiz cleared the bases with a long single that was just beyond the reach of diving centerfielder Clark. All three runs were unearned, due to the two-out error.
The Falcons put two runners aboard on back-to-back singles by Anderson and sophomore Ashley Zirkle, but Connelly worked out of the jam. But, she would not escape the sixth inning unscathed.
In the sixth inning, as in the fourth, Connelly retired the first two batters. But - just as in the fourth frame - the next four batters reached base, with three scoring.
Ortiz singled to leftfield, and Baca drew a walk. Rango also walked to load the bases, before Vallas cleared them with a triple to the wall in left-center. Ortiz, Baca and Rango all crossed the plate, giving the Falcons an eight-run lead and signaling the end of the game, due to the run rule.
All nine batters in the Falcon lineup had at least one hit, with McPherson, Ortiz and Vallas all registering two hits. McPherson and Baca each scored two runs in the game, while Ortiz and Vallas each totaling three RBI. Rango drove in a pair of teammates in the contest.
Gouge faced only three batters over the minimum, with the only IPFW runners coming via two infield hits and a BG error. She did not walk a batter, and struck out eight hitters, the most of her young career, in improving to 4-2.
Connelly took the loss, allowing 12 hits and walking two batters. She allowed five earned runs in her five-and-two-thirds innings of action, striking out one hitter.
Another day, another doubleheader for the Falcons, as the team heads to Oakland University for a Monday (April 11) twinbill. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
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