Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
FORDHAM
Falcons Win Speedline Invitational
March 19, 2006 | Softball
March 19, 2006
BGSU 3, Fordham 0 -- Final Stats
BGSU 5, Florida Int'l 4 -- Final Stats
TAMPA, Fla. - The Bowling Green State University softball team won two more games on Sunday (March 19), capturing the USF Speedline Invitational in the process. The Falcons picked up a 3-0 win over Fordham to begin the day, then posted a 5-4 win over Florida International in the championship game.
The Falcons are now 15-8 on the season, and BGSU went 5-1 on the weekend. After losing a 1-0 decision to Troy in the tourney opener, the Brown and Orange reeled off wins over Towson (10-0), Winthrop (2-0), Purdue (6-0), Fordham and FIU to capture the title at the three-day, 16-team tournament.
Senior Liz Vrabel had a successful day, picking up the win in each game to break the BGSU career record for victories. Vrabel now has 57 career wins as a Falcon, topping Jennifer Wolf's (1993-97) mark of 56.
Vrabel spun a two-hitter in the Fordham game, facing just three batters over the minimum. Vrabel walked one batter and struck out five.
In that Fordham contest, BGSU got on the board with a run in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Dawnjene DeLong had a leadoff single through the left side of the infield, and took second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Megan McPherson. Then, junior Jeanine Baca singled up the middle to score DeLong.
Vrabel allowed a leadoff double to the Rams' Krystle Henry in the first. Henry had both of her team's hits on the day. After the double, however, Vrabel struck out the side, retiring the first three of eight consecutive batters.
The Falcons doubled the lead in the sixth, as McPherson had a leadoff single and took second on a sac bunt by Baca. With two outs, freshman Desiree Miller doubled to centerfield to plate McPherson.
BG tacked on some insurance in the seventh. With two outs, junior Lauren Hoffman had a pinch-hit single, and DeLong followed with a single of her own. Then, junior Ashley Zirkle had another pinch-hit single for the Brown and Orange, scoring Hoffman from second with the game's final run.
BG had a total of nine hits in the game, with DeLong and Baca each going 2-for-3.
That win, the Falcons' fourth shutout in a row, put BG in the championship game vs. FIU. That game was a back-and-forth affair.
The Falcons, once again, scored first. DeLong led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single. FIU starter Penny Eastman retired the next two batters, but then gave up an infield hit to senior Gina Rango, followed by an RBI single off the bat of Miller. But, the Golden Panthers would knot the score in the top of the second, as a Lauren Spiers double brought teammate Samantha Card around to score.
The Falcons retook the lead in the bottom of that inning, aided by a pair of FIU errors. Freshman Hayley Wiemer began the inning by reaching on an error. Then, one out later, Wiemer took second on a throwing error on senior Lindsay Heimrich's grounder. DeLong's grounder moved the runners to second and third, before McPherson drew a walk. On ball four, a wild pitch allowed eac runner to move up, with Wiemer scoring. Then, Baca singled to plate Heimrich for a 3-1 BG lead.
FIU came right back with a pair of runs, as Deomni Murray tripled and Tracey Deleon singled. Deleon then stole second and took third on an error, before scoring on a groundout.
In the Falcon fourth, BG scored a run against reliever Kerri Houck. With one out, McPherson drew a walk, and Rango then had a two-out base on balls. Miller then came through again, with another RBI single and a 4-3 BG lead. Once again, however, the Golden Panthers would rally right back.
In the top of the fifth, FIU manufactured a run against reliever Vrabel, using a walk, a stolen base and a single. That tied the score at 4-4 and set the stage for the Falcons' winning run.
In the bottom of the sixth, FIU brought Sarah Belanger into the game as the team's third pitcher of the afternoon. Baca greeted her with a double, and Miller drew a one-out walk. With two down, Wiemer roped a double to left, scoring Baca with what would prove to be the game-winning run. Vrabel retired the side in order in the seventh, the last two via strikeout.
Vrabel picked up the win in relief, for her second victory of the day and eighth of the year. She allowed one run and only one hit in three-and-two-thirds innings, walking one and striking out six.
Wiemer allowed two earned runs in three-and-a-third innings. She issued one walk and had a pair of strikeouts.
Belanger took the loss, allowing a run and two hits in her inning of work. Each of the three FIU pitchers gave up one run in the game.
At the plate, the Falcons had nine hits, with Baca, DeLong and Miller each picking up two. Miller also had a pair of RBI in the win. Falcon batters drew a total of six walks.
BGSU now returns north, and the Falcons will open the home portion of the schedule with Saturday's (April 25) doubleheader vs. Detroit. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for noon at the BGSU Softball Field.
