Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Pettit, Central Hold Falcons to 2-0 Loss
April 21, 2007 | Softball
April 21, 2007
MT. PLEASANT, Mich. - Five hits translated into two runs in the first and fifth innings for the Central Michigan Chippewa's (17-16, 5-4) at home to down the Falcons 2-0. Bowling Green (25-9, 8-5) connected once for a hit and their best scoring opportunity via senior Ashley Zirkle in the second inning. Zirkle advanced as far as the hot corner but was unable to be brought in for the score.
Bowling Green opened the first inning with Hayley Wiemer on base after being walked but Allison Vallas' pop-up to shallow left field was caught on a diving effort to earn the third out of the inning leaving Wiemer and BGSU without a score.
Central's Tracey Kaatz lead-off bunt found the hitter on base as a result of the throwing error by Brittnay Hay from third base. Kaatz then advanced to second on the next batter and scored on Amy Hudson's deep hit to the out field wall. Hudson was left on base as a Hay turned a slap down the third base line to an out at first with her cross field throw for the final out of the home portion of the inning. Central Michigan took the 1-0 lead after a full inning of play.
With guaranteed hitters in the 5-7 holes, Ashley Zirkle came up with a base hit over the head of the Pettit, Central's pitcher, and was advanced on the Dawnjene DeLong out at first. She was moved as far as the third base bag on a wild pitch to Hay at the plate but, a pair of strikeouts by Hay and Susan Sontag stranded Zirkle at third and the 1-0 Central lead remained in tact.
Bowling Green took care of the lead runner on consecutive fielder's choice plays by Carly Riepenhoff and did not allow either Chip runner to advance past the first base bag in the bottom of the second. Bowling Green closed the inning with a grounder to the infield to shutdown the Chips in their second at bat.
A Riepenhoff strikeout was accompanied by a pair of groundouts for the Falcons to suffer a quick three out inning and the Falcons remained scoreless through three appearances. Similarly, the Central bats opened and closed the inning with two pop-ups to Ramsey in left field and a 3-4 putout between Vallas and Riepenhoff at first.
Just thirty-five minutes into the game and the Falcons were leading off the fourth inning. The entire game took less than ninety minutes to play.
Entering the fifth inning, Central's 1-0 lead had not budged.
In the bottom of the fifth, Kim Kozat connected for the first Central base hit since the RBI smack in the first inning. She was followed by Kaatzs' single to shallow left field for the third Central hit on the day. With two on an two outs, Kozat was brought home to score the second run to double the opponent's lead at 2-0 before Kaatz was called out at third to end the fifth inning.
With the exception of a Central Michigan stolen base, the sixth inning was defined by defensive efforts that downed a combined seven batters to hold the score at 2-0.
Wiemer, Vallas and Zirkle were the guaranteed Falcon batters at the top of the seventh inning but the game was ended with grounders to short, third and second. Zirkle battled for the full count becoming the final Falcon out of the game.
Bowling Green will face the Chippewa's again tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. for another MAC Sunday showdown.
