Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
SETON HALL
Seton Hall Rallies Past Falcons, 3-2
March 12, 2006 | Softball
March 12, 2006
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Seton Hall University pushed a seventh-inning run across the plate to complete a comeback and post a 3-2 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team Sunday morning (March 12). The game, part of the Worth Classic, was held at the FAU Softball Stadium.
With the win, SHU moves on to play host Florida Atlantic in the tournament's championship game. BGSU drops to 10-7 on the season, and the Falcons finish the weekend with a 3-2 record at the Worth Classic.
BGSU pitchers Liz Vrabel and Hayley Wiemer combined to allow only three hits in the game. But, two of those hits were doubles in a two-run fifth inning as the Pirates tied the game.
The day had started well for the Falcons, as BG put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning. After Vrabel set the Pirates down in order in the top of the inning, sophomore Dawnjene DeLong drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the frame, setting the table for the next hitter.
That next hitter was senior Gina Rango, who promptly homered to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead. The homer was Rango's fourth of the year and the school-record 20th of her career. She now has 113 career runs batted in at BGSU, also a school record.
Wiemer then drew a walk, chasing SHU starter Jessica Jones. Soph Allison Vallas greeted reliever Ashley Arnett with a single, but Arnett was able to get the Pirates out of the inning with a strikeout and a grounder.
In the top of the second, the Pirates sandwiched two walks around a hit batter to load the basees with just one out. But, Vrabel responded by striking out each of the next two hitters to end that threat.
Vrabel did not allow a hit through four innings, but Jessica Schulien began the fifth with a double. One out later, pinch-hitter Dani Steinseifzer doubled as well, plating pinch-runner Ashley Constantini.
Wiemer relieved Vrabel, and leadoff hitter Caitlin White drew a walk for the Pirates, a 2005 NCAA Regionals participant. The next hitter reached on an infield error to load the bases, but Wiemer then struck out SHU's top hitter, Katie Pierce, for the second out.
Maggie Simkiss, however, was hit by a pitch, scoring Steinseifzer with an unearned run that tied the score.
Over the next inning-and-a-half, only one runner reached base. Rango drew a two-out walk in the fifth, but advanced no further.
The Hall went ahead for good in the top of the seventh, though. White singled with one out, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. From there, she was able to score on a sacrifice fly by Leah Menichetti. Arnett retired the Falcons in order in the bottom of the seventh to lock down the win.
Five different BG players had one hit apiece, with Rango's obviously the biggest. Baca, Vallas, Wiemer and senior Lindsay Heimrich had the other hits.
Three SHU players had one hit each, with Vrabel allowing two of those hits in four-and-a-third innings of work. The senior surrendered two runs, with just one earned, walking two hitters and striking out four.
Wiemer took the loss despite allowing only one hit in two-and-two-thirds innings. She gave up one run, walking one and fanning two.
Jones gave up just one hit, but two runs in only a third of an inning. She walked a pair of batters and had one strikeout.
Arnett did not allow a single run in six-and-two-thirds innings. She gave up four hits and two walks while striking out four batters.
BGSU will be in Florida for next weekend's tournament (March 17-19), heading to Tampa for the USF Speedline Invitational.
