Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Kent State
Falcons Rally From Six Down for 7-6 Win at KSU
April 02, 2006 | Softball
April 2, 2006
KENT, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University softball team, trailing by six, exploded for seven runs over the last two innings for a 7-6 win over Kent State University Sunday afternoon (April 2). The Mid-American Conference game was held at the KSU Softball Field.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 21-10 overall and complete the first weekend of MAC play with a perfect 4-0 league record. KSU drops to 10-16 and 1-2, respectively.
Freshman Desiree Miller hit a three-run homerun in the sixth inning to get the Falcons on the scoreboard, while classmate Hayley Wiemer had a two-run homer, the first of her career, in the seventh.
For the second-straight day, sophomore Emily Gouge picked up the win in relief, moving to a perfect 6-0 on the year. Senior Liz Vrabel pitched a scoreless seventh inning to get her first save of the season.
Starting pitchers Wiemer and KSU's Gabrielle Burns held the opposition off the scoreboard for the first two-and-a-half innings, but the Golden Flashes broke through with the game's first run in the bottom of the third. Jessica Toocheck, who reached base in every plate appearance in the teams' two-game series, singled with one out, took third on a Whitney Lebowitz base hit, and scored on a double steal.
The Falcons had a baserunner in four of the first five innings, but could not do any damage against Burns. Meanwhile, Kent State seemingly broke the game wide open in the fifth.
In that fifth frame, the Flashes homered three times en route to a five-run inning and a 6-0 lead. A Kim Hamilton leadoff double was followed by a Toocheck homerun.
Gouge replaced Wiemer in the circle, but the Flashes kept the rally going. Lebowitz reached base on an error, and Jamie Fitzpatrick followed with another two-run homer, giving KSU a 5-0 lead. After Gouge got a swinging strikeout of Ashley Fairhurst, Ashley Ball followed with a solo shot and a six-run margin.
The Falcons went to work in the top of the sixth. BG had just three hits through the first five innings, but matched that total in the sixth inning. Junior Jeanine Baca began the inning with a single, and sophomore Allison Vallas singled one out later, putting a pair of runners aboard for Miller. Miller followed with her second collegiate homer to cut the lead in half.
Senior Abby Habicht also reached base that inning, drawing a one-out walk off reliever Brittney Robinson, but Robinson got a pair of strikeouts to avoid further damage, at least for the time being.
Gouge allowed only a walk to the Flashes in a scoreless bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for the seventh.
In that seventh, sophomore Dawnjene DeLong was hit by a Robinson pitch to begin the inning, and Wiemer followed with her first collegiate homer, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
With the Falcons within a single run and still no outs, Erin Christopher replaced Robinson in the circle, and got a groundout. But, senior Gina Rango doubled to right-center, and moved to third on a single by Vallas. Miller was walked to load the bases for Habicht.
Habicht hit a fly ball to rightfield, beginning what would be the eventual winning play. Habicht's ball went as a sacrifice fly, as Rango was able to tag and score the tying run. On the play, however, rightfielder Lebowitz's throw home was off line, bouncing into the KSU dugout as Vallas trotted home with the go-ahead run.
Vrabel came on to work the bottom of the seventh. She hit Fairhurst with a pitch, but got Ball to pop up to shortstop DeLong, and pinch-runner Katie Wheeler was caught off first base to end the game.
Vallas and Wiemer each had two hits to pace the nine-hit BGSU attack. Vallas also scored a pair of runs, while Miller had three RBI and Wiemer two.
For the Flashes, Toocheck was 3-for-3 for the second consecutive day, scoring two runs and driving in two, while Megan Verde was 2-for-3 as the hosts had a total of 10 hits.
Gouge got the win despite allowing three runs (two earned) in two innings. She gave up two hits, walking one and striking out four. Vrabel faced the minimum three batters to pick up her first save of the year.
Burns, the KSU starter, allowed three runs on six hits, leaving with one out in the sixth. Robinson pitched just two-thirds of an inning, surrendering two runs on a hit and a walk. Christopher gave up two runs (one earned) and two hits in an inning of action.
The Falcons conclude an eight-game road swing with a Wednesday (April 5) trip to Ohio State for a non-conference doubleheader, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Then, BGSU returns home for a Friday (April 7) doubleheader vs. Akron and single games against Ohio on Saturday and Sunday (April 8-9).
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