Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
TROY
BGSU Splits A Pair in Tampa
March 17, 2006 | Softball
March 17, 2006
Troy 1, BGSU 0 -- Final Stats
BGSU 10, Towson 0 (5 inn.) -- Final Stats
TAMPA, Fla. - The Bowling Green State University softball team opened play in the Speedline Invitational Friday (March 17), splitting a pair of games. The Falcons lost a 1-0 decision to Troy University, before exploding for a 10-0, five-inning win over Towson University.
With the split, the Falcons improve to 11-8 on the season. The three-day tournament is being held at the USF Softball Field and Greco Softball Complex.
In BG's first game of the day, Troy pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, breaking a scoreless tie. Falcon freshman Hayley Wiemer allowed only six hits and the one run in her complete-game pitching performance, but was the hard-luck loser.
BG got a pair of runners aboard against Troy starter Laine Harcourt in the opening inning. With two outs, senior Gina Rango doubled, and sophomore Allison Vallas was hit by a pitch, but Harcourt got a groundout to retire the side.
The Trojans put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the inning, on a double and a BG error. But, Wiemer responded with a strikeout and a grounder to third to retire the side.
From there, Wiemer allowed only two hits until the seventh. But, Harcourt held the Falcons hitless during the same span. BGSU's only baserunners from the second to the sixth innings came on walks to Vallas and freshman Wendy Sheehan.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jessica Lyle led off with a single, and took second on a groundout. With two outs, Stacey Dwyer singled to plate Lyle with what would prove to be the game's only run.
In the seventh, BGSU got a leadoff single from Vallas, who reached base in all three of her plate appearances. But, a fielder's choice retired Vallas at second, and Harcourt got a popup and another grounder to close out the win.
Harcourt went all the way for a two-hit shutout, walking two Falcon batters and striking out one. Wiemer, for her part, gave up just the one run and six hits. The freshman struck out five batters and did not issue a walk.
At the plate, Lyle went 3-for-3 for half of the Trojans' hits, and scored the game's only run.
Junior Lauren Hoffman was one of the stars of the 10-0 win over Towson, blasting a pinch-hit, two-run homer, the first of her career. Sophomore Emily Gouge threw a shutout against the Tigers.
The Falcons scored in every inning, beginning with a three-spot in the top of the first. Junior Jeanine Baca and sophomore Dawnjene DeLong drew walks, and a Rango single plated Baca with the only run BG would need. DeLong took third on the play.
With Vallas at the plate, Rango stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Then, Vallas singled to bring both DeLong and Rango around to score and put the Brown and Orange ahead by three.
In the bottom of the first, the Tigers got a walk and a pair of singles to load the bases with two outs, but Gouge got a grounder to second to end the inning.
BG would get an unearned run in the second, as DeLong doubled with two outs, and -- after a walk to Rango -- Vallas reached on a Towson error, with DeLong scoring on the play. In the third, freshman Desiree Miller led off with a single, and was erased at second on senior Abby Habicht's fielder's choice grounder. Junior Megan McPherson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Habicht to second, and Habicht would score on another Tiger error.
In the fourth, DeLong led off with a walk, and took second on a Rango single. Then, Vallas tripled into the left-centerfield gap to bring both runners around to score once again. A sacrifice fly by Wiemer allowed Vallas to score the Falcons' eighth run of the game.
In the fifth, Baca drew a two-out walk, and Hoffman followed with a long homerun to left, putting the Falcons ahead by 10 runs. Gouge set the Tigers down in the bottom of the inning to give BG the run-rule win.
Gouge allowed four hits in her complete-game win, improving to 3-0 on the year. She walked three batters and struck out two.
At the plate, Rango and Vallas had two hits apiece, with Vallas driving in four runs. DeLong scored three runs and Rango and Baca crossed the plate twice each.
BGSU returns to action on Saturday, facing Winthrop. Then, the teams in the Speedline Invitational will be placed into championship and consolation brackets for the remainder of the weekend's play.
