Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
AKRON
Falcons Blank Akron, 4-0, to Open MAC Tournament
May 10, 2006 | Softball
May 10, 2006
MIDLAND, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University softball team began Mid-American Conference Tournament play on a successful note, scoring three times in the third inning en route to a 4-0 win over the University of Akron Wednesday (May 10). The game, the league tourney opener, was held at Currie Stadium.
With the victory, the Falcons improve to 36-21 on the season, and BGSU advances to face Kent State in Thursday (May 11) action. KSU was a 2-1 winner over Northern Illinois in Wednesday's second game. The Falcons, seeded third for the eight-team, double-elimination tournament, will play the Golden Flashes in a 5:00 p.m. start on Thursday.
The sixth-seeded Zips drop to 26-24 on the year, and will return to Currie Stadium to play NIU Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Senior Liz Vrabel fired a two-hit shutout for the Brown and Orange, while sophomore Allison Vallas had a two-run double in that three-run third inning.
"It is nice to get that first tournament game under our belt and come out of it with a win," said BGSU head coach Leigh Ross. "To be honest, we were worried about getting through today, with the amount of sick players we have had over the past few days, but we got a good pitching performance from Liz Vrabel, and our offense gave her the run support she needed to get the win."
Vrabel retired the Zips in order in the top of the first, with an infield popup and two strikeouts, but UA's Megan MacKenzie set down the Falcons one-two-three in the bottom of the inning.
MacKenzie became the game's first baserunner in the top of the second inning, working Vrabel for a one-out walk. But, a Lisa McLean bunt attempt was unsuccessful, with senior first baseman Lindsay Heimrich grabbing the popup for the second out. Vrabel then got Deanna McCauley to hit a grounder to shortstop Dawnjene DeLong, who flipped the ball to second baseman Megan McPherson for the inning-ending force play.
Vallas got aboard with one out in the bottom of the inning, hitting a grounder into the hole between short and third. UA shortstop Sara Zilles made a diving stop, and threw to first, but to no avail. Junior Ashley Zirkle followed with a liner to rightfield, but Cali Stratton was able to make a leaping catch for the second out.
Senior Abby Habicht singled up the middle to send Vallas to second and give BG a runner in scoring position, but MacKenzie was able to get a strikeout to stifle the BG threat.
UA mounted a threat in the third inning, as Stratton drew a leadoff walk, and a one-out hit by Zilles was just out of the reach of a diving McPherson. Pinch-runner Jennifer Stottlemyer took second on the single through the right side.
Carrese Moody hit a slow roller to McPherson, whose only play was at first base, as the runners moved to second and third. The next hitter, Jamie Stanclift, then fouled off four pitches during her at-bat, before hitting a liner that rightfielder Zirkle was able to grab just inside the foul line.
In the bottom of the frame, the Falcons broke the scoreless tie in a big way. McPherson led off by hitting a ball just over the head of UA first baseman McCauley for a leadoff single. Junior Jeanine Baca hit a chopper to third base, with McPherson able to advance to second base on the groundout. McPherson tagged and took third on a fly ball by DeLong, and senior Gina Rango walked to put runners at the corners, and freshman Desiree Miller hit a laser that caromed off the leg of third baseman Amy Pedro and into foul territory. Each runner was able to advance one base on the play, with McPherson scoring the game's first run.
The next hitter, Vallas, lined a 1-1 pitch to right-center for a double. Rango easily scored from second on the hit, and Miller steamed all the way around from first to beat the relay throw and slide home safely, for a three-run lead.
Vrabel set the Zips down in order in the top of the fourth, and the Falcons increased the lead, without benefit of a hit, in the bottom of the inning. Heimrich drew a leadoff walk, and McPherson followed with a bunt to the pitcher's circle. MacKenzie fielded the ball, whirled and fired to second, but pinch-runner Emmy Ramsey beat the throw to give the Brown and Orange two runners.
A fly ball to left produced the first out, but DeLong walked after a lengthy at-bat, loading the bases with one out. Rango hit a hard one-hopper back to the circle, and MacKenzie grabbed the ball. But, her throw home was wild, with Ramsey scoring the Falcons' fourth run of the day.
Meanwhile, Vrabel retired 10 consecutive batters before Stanclift singled up the middle with two outs in the sixth inning. Julie Boyes hit the next pitch on a line, but right at leftfielder Vallas for the third out. Vrabel got a popup to catcher Habicht and a pair of infield grounders in the seventh to close out the complete-game shutout.
Vrabel threw 105 pitches in the game, with 64 strikes. She faced four batters over the minimum, allowing two hits and a pair of walks, while striking out six. She improved to 17-10 on the season.
MacKenzie allowed three earned runs and six hits in her complete-game effort for the Zips. She walked four batters and fanned five, throwing 63 strikes among her 100 pitches.
At the plate, Vallas had two hits and two RBI to pace the Brown and Orange.
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