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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Saint Francis (PA)
Palma Pitches No Hitter; Falcons Sail to 8-0 Win With Three Homeruns
February 24, 2007 | Softball
Feb. 24, 2007
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Freshman Sharon Palma made her collegiate debut memorable as she and the Bowling Green State University Falcons recorded their first no-hitter since April 12, 2004. Palma is believed to be the first Falcon freshman to throw a no-hitter in her debut on the mound. She is just the fifth player in program history to accomplish the feat and only the second to do it in a five-inning game.
Fellow newcomer Susan Sontag also made a big impact for the Falcons as she was the first of three batters to send the ball screaming to the outfield for a homerun. Bowling Green won their second-straight game of the Panera Bread Challenge with the 8-0 victory over the St. Francis Red Flash. In three games, the BGSU defense has allowed three scored runs.
The Falcons improved to 2-1 on the season, while the dropped decision leaves St. Francis (0-3) winless in 2007. Bowling Green was the second Mid-American Conference team to beat the Red Flash. Akron won in yesterday's opening day action, 3-2.
Palma set the tone of the game early in the bottom of the first inning striking out St. Francis' lead-off hitter Stephanie Griffin. The southpaw would earn an additional six K's before the run rule would stop the game after the fifth inning. Despite leaving a walked runner on base, BGSU left the inning without allowing a hit. Four similar innings would follow.
The would-be first score, third baseman Brittnay Hay, began the second inning on base after becoming the third Falcon to be walked by Red Flash pitcher Jerrica Smith. Freshman Carly Riepenhoff advanced Hay to second on a sacrifice bunt, while Sontag drove in Hay as she homered to left field. The following batters flied out to centerfield and grounded out to the pitcher to close the inning for the Orange and Brown.
The two run advantage immediately became a four run advantage in the third when Dawnjene DeLong's and Hayley Wiemer's homerun balls bookended the first of three Red Flash pitching changes. DeLong's shot to left field was her third career homerun. Wiemer, the first batter to face new pitcher Samantha Jelen, decided she would take her second career trot around the diamond sending Jelen's pitch into right center field. The inning's scoring action continued three batters later when Sontag's single brought senior catcher Ashley Zirkle home. Zirkle initially reached first on a fielder's choice. At the end of the inning, the Orange and Brown had chalked up three runs on four hits with two runners remaining on base.
The Bowling Green batters were quickly back to the plate for the top of the fourth inning after a three-up, three-down series keeping the hitless game alive. Senior outfielder Jeanine Baca began the inning with a double to center field and exchanged places with DeLong as a result of her double to the same place. Yet, DeLong's scoring opportunity was not as easy as Baca's. It was not until fellow junior Allison Vallas reached first base on a passed ball that the shortstop scored to give the Falcons the 7-0 advantage. The third double of the inning, a drive to left field by Hay, brought Vallas in for the eighth and final run of the game.
Palma pitched five hitless innings before the mercy rule prevented the game to finish in the scheduled seven innings.
BGSU scored eight runs on as many hits with seven RBI's. DeLong and Sontag led the Orange and Brown with two hits apiece. DeLong also had a game high two runs; six of her teammates scored once. Additionally, Sontag posted a game high three RBI's.
Through three games, co-captains Baca and Zirkle have connected for at least one hit.
Game two of the double-header will give BGSU an early scout of the MAC with their non-conference game against Miami. This is the first non-conference meeting between the two programs in the month of February.
