Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
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MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State Squeaks Past Falcons, 3-2
March 04, 2006 | Softball
March 4, 2006
WACO, Texas - The Bowling Green State University softball team, for the third time in two days, took a national-caliber opponent to the wire. But, the Falcons again came up just short, losing to Mississippi State by a 3-2 final in eight innings Saturday (March 4). The game, part of the Compass Bank Invitational, was played at Getterman Stadium.
With the win, Mississippi State improves to 17-1 on the season. The Bulldogs' first loss of the year came by a 1-0 score to host Baylor University on Friday night (March 3). The Falcons fall to 6-3 on the year.
The Bulldogs, receiving votes in both national polls, scored a run in the top of the eighth, with the international tiebreaker in effect. BGSU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning, but MSU's Stephanie Comeaux was able to escape the jam -- with a little luck -- and improve her record to 9-0 on the season.
Senior Liz Vrabel took the loss, despite throwing four-and-two-thirds innings of relief without allowing a hit. Vrabel walked one batter and struck out six, and the lone run she surrendered was unearned.
The Bulldogs scored what would prove to be the winning run in the eighth, after Courtney Bures was placed on second via the international tiebreaker. Katie Cooley laid down a bunt, and the Falcons attempted to cut down Bures at third, but the umpires ruled that the runner was safe, putting runners at the corners with no outs. The next batter, pinch-hitter Sammie Jo Bailey, hit a fly ball to right. Falcon rightfielder Emmy Ramsey made the catch, but Bures was able to score the go-ahead run.
BGSU came oh-so-close to winning the game in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Dawnjene DeLong was placed on second, and senior Abby Habicht's sac bunt moved her to third. Comeaux hit junior Jeanine Baca with a pitch, and pinch-hitter Natalie Armintrout drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
The next hitter was senior Gina Rango, the Falcons' leading hitter and the 2005 MAC Player of the Year. Rango hit an absolute rocket down the first-base line. MSU first baseman Lindsay Hunley deflected the ball, and second baseman Callye Williams was able to make a diving catch and double the runner off first base to end the game.
The Falcons had taken an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Baca led off with a walk, took second on a sac bunt by junior Megan McPherson and scored on Rango's single.
The Bulldogs tied the game off sophomore starter Emily Gouge in the third inning. Hayle Guess led off the inning with an infield single, and Nakita Boyce did the same. One out later, Cooley singled to plate Guess.
The next inning, Hunley singled with one out, and Michelle Kinney tripled to give the Bulldogs the lead. Vrabel replaced Gouge and struck out Guess before getting Boyce to ground out.
The Falcons tied the game in the fifth inning, when DeLong singled with one out, took second on Habicht's sac bunt and scored on Baca's single through the left side of the MSU infield.
Vrabel struck out the side in the Bulldog sixth, but the Falcons also went down in order in that inning. Neither team threatened in the seventh, either, sending the game to extra innings and setting the stage for the wacky ending.
MSU had a 7-4 advantage in the hits department, with Boyce going 2-for-4. Four different Falcons had one hit apiece, with Baca picking up one of those hits, along with a run and an RBI.
BGSU returns to the diamond on Saturday evening, taking on Baylor in a contest beginning at 5:30 p.m. CST (6:30 p.m. Eastern).
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