Bowling Green State University Athletics
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WESTERN MICHIGAN
Vrabel One-Hits Western; Falcons Win, 4-0
May 13, 2005 | Softball
May 13, 2005
AKRON, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team scored early, and junior Liz Vrabel kept the Western Michigan University bats at bay, as the Falcons stayed alive in the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 4-0 victory over the Broncos Friday (May 13) at Firestone Stadium.
With the win, the Falcons even their record at 29-29 on the season, and BGSU advances to meet Miami University in Friday's third game at Firestone. The Falcons and RedHawks are scheduled to face off at 3:00 p.m.
The Broncos' season comes to an end at 22-27.
Vrabel was in command for the entire game, allowing only three total baserunners. Western's only hit came with two outs in the sixth inning.
The Falcons got on the board right away, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Megan McPherson beat out a chopper to the left side of the infield, and junior Lindsay Heimrich moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. The next hitter, freshman Allison Vallas, worked a full count against Bronco starter Tricia VanDerSlik, before hitting an opposite-field homerun to give the Brown and Orange a 2-0 lead.
BGSU threatened in the third inning, as Heimrich reached on an infield error and Vallas walked with one out. The next hitter, junior Gina Rango, lined a ball to centerfield that seemed ticketed for extra bases, but Connie Kolokithas made a nice running catch in front of the wall, then threw to second to double the runner and end the inning.
Meanwhile, Vrabel did not allow a baserunner until VanDerSlik reached on an error with one out in the fourth. Vrabel, who had struck out the side in the second inning as well, bounced back to whiff Amy Fleming and Amanda Heckaman for her second and third K's of the fourth.
The Falcons added to the lead in the fifth. Junior Abby Habicht led off with a single, and McPherson's sac bunt moved pinch-runner Emmy Ramsey to second. Heimrich switched places with Ramsey, lacing an RBI double to the wall just left of centerfield. Vallas reached on a bloop single to shallow left, with Heimrich forced to hold at second. Then, for her second-straight at-bat, Rango scorched a line drive, but - also for the second consecutive time - the ball was caught by an outfielder. Sophomore Jeanine Baca came through with a single to plate Heimrich with the game's fourth run.
Vrabel, as mentioned, had a no-hitter through five-and-two-thirds innings, until a seeing-eye grounder by VanDerSlik squirted through the infield. The BG ace got Fleming to fly out to end the inning, then retired the side in order in the seventh.
Vrabel improved to 17-14 on the year, walking one batter while striking out 13, just one shy of her career high. The MAC Pitcher of the Year, she threw 66 strikes among her 109 pitches.
VanDerSlik took the loss to fall to 11-17. She allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings of work, walking two and striking out three. Kyla Sullivan pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the Broncos, allowing one hit.
At the plate, both Vallas and Baca went 2-for-2 to pace BG's eight-hit attack. Both players also drew a walk, with Vallas scoring one run and driving in two. Baca also had an RBI. Heimrich was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice, a run scored and a run driven in.
BGSU now looks to reverse a four-game losing streak against Miami. The Falcons lost the tournament's opening game, 2-0, to the RedHawks.
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