.png&type=webp)
Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Falcons Score Early, Get Two Shutouts to Sweep Ball State
April 09, 2005 | Softball
April 9, 2005
Game 1 Stats - BGSU 2, Ball State 0
Game 2 Stats - BGSU 4, Ball State 0
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Bowling Green State University softball team followed a similar blueprint to sweep a Saturday (April 9) doubleheader at Ball State University. The Falcons scored early, then threw seven shutout innings in each contest, en route to 2-0 and 4-0 wins in the Mid-American Conference doubleheader.
With the wins, the Falcons improve to 15-20 overall and 5-4 in MAC play, while the host Cardinals drop to 12-25 and 0-5, respectively.
Junior Liz Vrabel and freshman Emily Gouge each threw a four-hit shutout, with Vrabel winning the opener and Gouge taking the nightcap.
In the first game, the Falcons got on the board early, scoring twice in the first. Sophomore Megan McPherson drew a walk off BSU starter Amy Brownfield to begin the game, and freshman D.J. DeLong was hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard. The runners successfully executed a double steal, and both came around to score on junior Gina Rango's one-out, opposite-field single.
The Cardinals got a leadoff double in the second inning, courtesy of Sarah McGregor. But, with one out, McGregor was cut down attempting to take third base. On the next pitch, Vrabel threw a third strike past Quincy Duran to end the inning.
After that McGregor double, Vrabel set down the next nine batters, before Amanda Pick lined a pitch to leftfield, and continued all the way to third when the liner rolled all the way to the wall. On the single and two-base error, the host Cardinals had a runner at third base for the first time on the afternoon.
But, Pick was stranded there, as centerfielder Jeanine Baca came in to make a diving catch of a blooper by Duran, and Vrabel got Abby Gross to ground out to third baseman Rango.
Brownfield and Rango battled through an epic at-bat in the sixth inning. With two outs, Rango saw 15 pitches, fouling off 11, before hitting a soft liner that was caught by leaping BSU shortstop Alyssa Huffman.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cortney Patteson had a one-out single, and Taylor Yancey's sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Jill McHenry to second. But, Vrabel got Kelli Jeziorski to fly out to left to end the inning.
Meanwhile, after allowing three baserunners in the first inning, Brownfield let only one BGSU batter reach base over the next five frames. But, freshman Allison Vallas began the seventh inning with a single to right-center. Senior Kristen Anderson's sac bunt sent pinch-runner Kari Steigerwald to second. Steigerwald got as far as third base, before Brownfield got an inning-ending ground ball.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pick singled with two outs, bringing the tying run to the plate. But, Vrabel struck out Duran on three pitches to wrap up her first complete-game shutout of the season.
Rango led the Falcons at the plate, with two of the team's three hits and both of the game's runs batted in. The only other BG hit was the Vallas single to lead off the seventh.
Pick had two of the Cardinals' four hits off Vrabel, who went all the way, with 70 strikes among her 99 pitches. She struck out six batters and did not issue a walk, facing only three batters over the minimum while improving to 9-9 on the year.
Brownfield was the hard-luck loser for the hosts, allowing two runs and three hits. She walked one batter and whiffed two, but dropped to 4-6 on the year.
In the second game, the Falcons again got on the board early. McPherson, for the second straight contest, began the game with a walk, and took second on a sac bunt by sophomore Angie Ortiz. She took third on a groundout, breaking on the Card third baseman's throw to first, then scored when Rango beat out a grounder deep in the hole between short and third.
Two doubles enabled the Falcons to double the lead in the fourth. Baca led off with a two-base hit to the base of the wall in left-centerfield. Then, with one out, Vallas traded places with Baca, driving a pitch to the wall in straightaway center for an RBI double.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Cardinals threatened against Gouge. Pick drew a leadoff walk, and with two down, Duran's single moved her to second. But, Gouge got out of the jam with a strikeout of her counterpart, BSU starting pitcher Nicki Hellem.
The Cards got a leadoff baserunner in the fifth, as Huffman drew a walk, then stole second. Then, on Patteson's grounder down the first-base line was fielded by Gouge, but her throw caromed off the glove of Vallas on the throw to first. However, the batter was ruled out as she was ruled to have interfered with first baseman Vallas. On the play, Huffman was awarded third base.
Gouge then struck out Yancey for the second out, and also got McGregor swinging to retire the side.
Things got a little crazy in the top of the seventh. Steigerwald walked to begin the inning, and junior Abby Habicht hit a grounder to second baseman Pick. The ball took a bad hop, however, and went through Pick's legs for an error. Steigerwald, running all the way, steamed toward third, and centerfielder McGregor's throw bounced into the Ball State dugout. Steigerwald scored and Habicht was awarded third base on the play.
With pinch-runner Emmy Ramsey at third, the next hitter, McPherson, bunted toward second base on a squeeze play. The Cardinal infielders were in motion, however, and when the ball got past pitcher Hellem, it rolled all the way to the outfield grass. Ramsey scored easily, and McPherson wound up on second base. On the rare bunt double, the Falcons were up, 4-0.
That was more than enough for Gouge, who improved her record to 3-2 on the season. She allowed only four hits, walking two batters and struck out six in the complete-game shutout.
Hellem suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs and seven hits while walking three and whiffing one.
At the plate, Vallas was 2-for-3 to pace the Falcons' seven-hit attack. Four different Cardinals had a hit apiece.
BGSU gets right back to action on Sunday (April 10), stepping outside MAC play for a home twinbill against IPFW. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field.
NOTES
