Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Wiemer Breaks Single Season HR Record in BG Loss
May 10, 2007 | Softball
May 10, 2007
MIDLAND, Mich. - Hayley Wiemer's sixth inning two run homer to left center earned the first Falcon scores of the game and also surpassed Gina Rango's 2006 single season homerun record but the Falcons were unable to overcome the EMU bats and fell 7-3 in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Currie Field in Midland, Mich. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 33-11 overall while the Eagles improve to 25-20.
The Eagles' seven runs were the most scored on BGSU to date in the current season. Prior to the outing, BGSU had not given up more than five runs to their opposition.
Easter Michigan pitcher Amiee Woodrum made it difficult for the Falcons to find an offensive rhythm retiring eleven straight BGSU batters after the combination of Jeanine Baca's base hit and Wiemer's base on balls in the first inning. Included in that nearly four inning rout, Baca was struck out for just the second time this season by a MAC pitcher - both times Woodrum was in the circle.
Eastern jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning after junior Lindsay Ritz powered her first collegiate homerun with a pair of outs at her back supplied by Emily Gouge strike outs. After clearing the bases, Gouge retired yet another Eagle on the caught looking call. The junior tossed four strikes in her 3.0 innings spent in the circle.
In the top of the fourth, senior Lindsay Schmid added to the existing EMU head start by smashing her second four base hit of the day. She also crushed one in head-to-head competition against Ohio University in the morning session. Wiemer was then brought in to finish the game in relief. EMU went on to score twice more before finishing the inning.
In the bottom of the same inning Dawnjene DeLong broke the BG hitless streak with a bunted base hit but was called out as the lead runner on a fielder's choice that allowed Brittnay Hay to advance to first. Carly Riepenhoff's deep double relocated Hay to the hot corner but the Falcons could not capitalize on the scoring placement at second and third.
BGSU held the Eagles at bay through the fifth and in the sixth inning made a late rally that was begun with senior slapper Emmy Ramsey's hit to the shallow outfield. Wiemer brought Ramsey back to the dugout with her zinger to left center and was complemented by Allison Vallas' matching homer over the right field fence. The two now combine for a total of 20 of the 44 total BGSU long balls this season. Since Friday's regular season MAC double header against NIU, Bowling Green has seen six of the nine members in the batting lineup hit a total of 10 roundtrippers.
EMU's scored an additional run in the final inning to hold off the Falcon's late game momentum.
BGSU was out hit 10-7 with six of the hits coming in the fifth inning or later.
Prior to the match-up the Falcons were 1-1 against Eastern in the MAC Tournament. The Eagles took the first win over the Orange and Brown in 1999 in a 1-0 first round decision whereas BGSU pulled the 2-1 victory in 2005.
Bowling Green will face Northern Illinois at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning at Currie Stadium. Northern advances through the losing bracket after beating Miami 1-0 to end the RedHawks season.
