Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OAKLAND
Falcons Post Efficient Sweep of Oakland, 3-1 and 2-0
April 18, 2006 | Softball
April 18, 2006
Bowling Green 3, Oakland 1 -- Final Stats
Bowling Green 2, Oakland 0 -- Final Stats
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - When good pitching is combined with timely hitting, the results are usually positive. Such was the case for the Bowling Green State University softball team Tuesday afternoon (April 18), as the Falcons swept a doubleheader from Oakland University by scores of 3-1 and 2-0. The non-conference games were held at the BGSU Softball Field.
With the wins, the Falcons improve to 28-16 on the season, while the Golden Grizzlies drop to 14-21.
In the opener, sophomore Emily Gouge and freshman Hayley Wiemer combined on a five-hitter, allowing just a single unearned run, while senior Gina Rango hit a long homer just inside the left-field fair pole in the fourth inning. In the nightcap, Wiemer and senior Liz Vrabel teamed up for a three-hit shutout, with a two-run sixth inning giving the Falcons the win.
On the day, Wiemer threw a combined six-and-two-thirds innings of shutout ball, allowing only three hits and striking out eight. At the plate, she was 4-for-5 with two runs and a run batted in.
The Golden Grizzlies got a one-out single off the bat of Lisa Colores in the top of the first, but Gouge got the next batter, Laura Chomokos, to hit a one-hopper back to the circle, and she whirled and threw to shortstop Dawnjene DeLong to begin a 1-6-3, inning-ending double play.
OU starter Sarah Clark retired the Falcons in order in the bottom of the first, but the home team got on the scoreboard in the second inning. Wiemer led off with a walk, and classmate Desiree Miller laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt on the next pitch to advance Wiemer to second. Then, senior Abby Habicht continued her hot hitting of late, lacing a Clark offering off the left-field fence for an RBI double as Wiemer easily trotted home.
Clark looked to aid her own cause in the top of the third, battling Gouge through a 10-pitch at-bat before lining that tenth pitch to center for a one-out single. But, Gouge got a strikeout of Lindsey Schaller, and third baseman Rango stabbed a Julie Owen grounder and threw to first to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, the Grizzlies put a pair of runners at the corners, but Gouge managed to escape danger. The sophomore got a pair of grounders to DeLong at shortstop to produce the first two outs. But, Stephanie Zellner followed with a sinking liner to centerfield, and the ball got under the glove of Jeanine Baca to allow Zellner to take second. The next hitter, Alex Perrino, lined a sharp single to left, with Zellner taking third. But, Gouge got Lindsey Frederick to hit another ground ball to DeLong for the shortstop's third assist of the half-inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Baca more than atoned for her error, leadinging off with a line single through the left side of the Grizzlies' infield, before stealing second and taking third when the throw to second trickled into shallow left-centerfield. The next batter was Rango, who extended her career homerun record by clubbing a Clark pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run shot and a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the visitors got on the board due to a pair of BG errors. Colores reached base when her popup into shallow left-center was dropped, and she took second base on a Chomokos groundout. Then, a grounder by Zellner rolled through the legs of a Falcon infielder to allow Colores to score.
Zellner advanced to second on a groundout, and Frederick drew a walk to put a pair of Grizzlies aboard, but Gouge rebounded for a strikeout of Dani Nutter to end the inning.
Wiemer entered the circle in relief of Gouge in the seventh inning, and got a pair of strikeouts and an infield grounder to retire the side in order and close out the win.
Gouge took the victory, raising her record to a perfect 7-0 on the year. She allowed only an unearned run and five hits in her six innings of action, walking one batter and striking out five. Wiemer picked up her fourth save of the year with her one-two-three inning of work.
Clark, who entered the day with an earned-run average of 10.50 on the year, allowed just three runs on five hits in her complete-game effort. She issued one walk and had four strikeouts, but dropped to 0-3.
At the plate, Baca had two of the Falcons' five hits, including a double. Rango, of course, had the big blow, with the two-run homer, while Habicht had her seventh double of the year. Clark had a pair of hits to lead OU's five-hit attack.
In the second game, the teams traded zeroes on the scoreboard over the first three innings, with each team picking up only one baserunner during that time. Wiemer had a single to right-center to lead off the second inning for BGSU's only hit in that span, and Vallas worked OU starting pitcher Meghan Luczak for a walk, but Luczak lucked out when freshman Wendy Sheehan's soft liner was right at third baseman Caitlyn Lynch, who gloved it and threw to first for a double play.
Meanwhile, OU's only hit through the first four innings was a leadoff single off the bat of Zellner. In the top of the fourth, Wiemer needed just four pitches to dispatch of the Grizzlies.
BGSU put a pair in the bottom of the fourth, but Luczak was able to work out of the jam. Rango lined a ball to deep centerfield, but Schaller was able to make a running catch just in front of the fence. Wiemer and sophomore Allison Vallas had back-to-back singles up the middle with two outs, but Miller's high chopper was gloved by Lynch, who stepped on the third-base bag to end the threat.
Wiemer again made quick work of the visitors, with a one-two-three fifth inning that was punctuated by back-to-back strikeouts of Tosha Hodgkinson and Frederick. The Falcon freshman retired 12 consecutive batters before allowing a one-out single to Schaller in the sixth. Wiemer threw a called third strike past Owen, but Chomokos blooped a base hit down the right-field line to put runners at the corners and prompt the Falcon coaching staff to bring Vrabel into the game in relief.
The senior got the Brown and Orange out of the jam, striking out Chomokos on five pitches to end the half-inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rango gave the Falcons a one-out baserunner, hitting a fly ball to the base of the wall in leftfield for a double. Wiemer followed by with a looper over the head of the leaping shortstop Owen for a base hit, with pinch-runner Emmy Ramsey coming around to touch the plate and break the scoreless deadlock.
Wiemer took second on the throw home, and a Vallas grounder moved her to third before Miller came through with a two-out single up the middle to score her classmate for a 2-0 lead.
That was more than enough offense for Vrabel, who sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around an infield popup to retire the side in order in the seventh. She picked up the win, improving to 14-8 on the season. Vrabel had three K's among her four batters faced.
For her part, Wiemer allowed just three hits in five-and-two-thirds innings of work, striking out six batters without allowing a walk. She was efficient, with just 61 pitches, including 43 strikes, in her five-plus innings. Vrabel was dominant, throwing 13 strikes among her 16 total pitches.
Luczak took the loss, giving up two runs and six hits. She walked one batter in the game.
At the plate, Wiemer had one-third of the game's total hits, going 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. She had as many hits on offense as she surrendered in the circle.
The Falcons continue the week's six-game homestand Friday (April 21), returning to Mid-American Conference play with a doubleheader against Central Michigan University. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field.
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