Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MARSHALL
Four-Run First Inning Lifts Falcons Past Marshall, 5-3
April 22, 2005 | Softball
April 22, 2005
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Bowling Green State University softball team scored four times in the first inning and made that early lead hold up, as the Falcons downed host Marshall University by a 5-3 count. The game, a non-conference contest between the two Mid-American Conference schools, was held at Dot Hicks Field.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 23-24 overall, and BGSU snaps a three-game losing streak. Host Marshall falls to 28-15 on the season.
The Falcons' four-run first inning offset an impressive offensive performance by MU's Rachel Folden. The freshman had three hits, including a pair of homeruns, and drove in all three MU runs on the day.
Junior Lindsay Heimrich picked up the win, allowing three runs in five innings of work. Heimrich, in her first pitching appearance since April 6, improved to 4-8 on the year.
Freshman Emily Gouge threw two scoreless innings to get the first save of her collegiate career.
As it turned out, the Falcons got all the runs Heimrich and Gouge would need in the opening inning. Sophomore Megan McPherson led off the game with an infield single, and took second on a Marshall error. Heimrich was hit by an Abigail Harter pitch to put two runners on base.
Harter got a grounder for the first out of the inning, putting runners on second and third. With first base open, the Herd elected to intentionally walk junior Gina Rango to load the bases, but soph Jeanine Baca followed with a two-run single to give BG a lead the Falcons would never relinquish.
BGSU's lone senior, Kristen Anderson, followed with a two-run single of her own, and the Brown and Orange had an early four-run lead.
The hosts got a run in the bottom half of the first, on Folden's two-out solo homer, and Harter settled down to retire the side in order in both the second and the third innings.
In Marshall's half of the third, the hosts looked to put together a rally against Heimrich. With one out, twin sisters Amanda and Jessica Williams put together back-to-back singles. Folden reached on a fielder's choice, with Jessica Williams out at second. Folden stole second before Heimrich walked Leigh Wintter to load the bases. But, the BG junior got an inning-ending strikeout of Gina Guzzo.
BGSU picked up what would prove to be a key insurance run in the fifth, as McPherson began the inning with a hustle double, and came around to score on Heimrich's single to centerfield.
But, the Herd countered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Amanda Williams reached on an error to begin the inning, and Folden homered with one out to cut the BG advantage to two runs. Wintter reached base on another Falcon error, but Heimrich got Guzzo to ground out, then struck out Sara Spenia.
Gouge entered the game in the sixth, and allowed one baserunner each inning. She gave up a two-out single in that sixth frame, then allowed a one-out hit in the seventh. But, neither runner advanced beyond first base, and the Falcon freshman got a game-ending fly ball to center from Guzzo to close out the win.
Heimrich allowed just five hits and two earned runs, walking one batter and hitting one, while striking out four. Gouge allowed the two hits in two innings, with one strikeout.
Harter took the loss for the hosts, giving up six hits and five runs (four earned) before leaving after facing two hitters in the fifth. She walked one and whiffed three. Amanda Luers threw three innings of no-hit ball, with one walk and two strikeouts. Harter hit two BG batters with pitches, while Luers plunked one Falcon.
At the plate, the Herd outhit the Falcons, 7-6, with Folden's three hits leading all players. She scored two of Marshall's three runs, of course, on the two homers.
McPherson led the Falcons with two hits, including the double, and two runs scored, while Baca and Anderson drove in two runs apiece.
The Falcons are scheduled to return to MAC play Saturday (April 23), heading to Athens, Ohio, for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Ohio University.
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