Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Chips End Falcons' MAC Run
May 11, 2007 | Softball
May 11, 2007
Central Michigan continued its rampage through the Mid-American Tournament bracket beating BGSU for its third consecutive upset as the fifth seed in the post-season tournament. As a result of the 2-0 loss, Bowling Green ends its season at a respectable 33-12 while posting the fewest losses in program history en route to a .733 overall win percentage. The 2007 Falcons are the only team to ever see a winning percentage above .700.
Senior Emmy Ramsey opened the session with a base hit but was not advanced as Wiemer and Vallas were both outted by the left side of the Chippewa infield. Bowling Green went on to out hit Central 6-4 but was unable to advance a runner past second base.
In the bottom of the second, Jacque Benedict landed as far as third on a sacrifice bunt and a long fly out to Baca in centerfield but was not brought home due to Sontag's charging of the shallow outfield to record the final out of the inning.
In the third, Wiemer hit a sailing plunker over the shortstop's head for a base hit which moved Ramsey to second. The senior outfielder reached on the fielder's choice that picked-off Baca as the lead runner between first and second. Both runners were stranded on base when Vallas notched a swinging strikeout on the payoff pitch to retire the bottom of the third.
Through the end of three full innings, BGSU out hit the Chip's 4-1, yet the squads remained in the 0-0 deadlock. Junior pitcher Emily Gouge and the BGSU defense forced 9-of-10 batters to retreat back to the dugout with the exception of Benedict's leadoff base hit in the second.
On the full count, Central's Amy Hudson took it upon herself to strike first and killed a homerun straight over centerfield as BG fell behind 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Benedict followed with a base hit and was quickly safe at second on the steal during Lindsay Calme's at bat. Both Calme, who was pinch run for by Katie Horvath, and Kari Seddon were walked and the Chip's loaded the bases with two outs on the scoreboard. The Falcons then made a pitching change and Wiemer entered the game to pull double duty by pitching and batting. The sophomore struck out Stephanie Crews to end the inning and negated any Chip's journey to return home. In 3.2 innings Gouge threw one strikeout and allowed one run.
A Wiemer walk and a Vallas single to left field started the top of the sixth inning to give BG two potential scores from the first two at bats. Two outs later, Wiemer was picked off at third as she attempted to secure the corner off Sontag's rip turned fielder's choice. Bowling Green remained unable to materialize any further than second base and remained scoreless through six plate appearances.
In the Chip's turn in the bottom of the sixth, Hudson came through with her second distance performance with the twig for a long double and she nearly did not beat out the Carly Riepenhoff tag at second. Amber Olejniczak was brought in to pinch run for Hudson and found her way to third base and was soon followed by Benedict's base hit and stolen base. Central went on to score again despite third baseman Brittney Hay pick-up of out number two on a grounder and Wiemer's strike out of Seddon.
Bowling Green closes one of the most successful seasons in program history as the Falcons 2-2 showing at the MAC was BGSU's third consecutive season to win two-of-four games in the eight team tournament format.
BRIEF FALCON NOTES
*In her first year at the helm, head coach Shannon Salsburg recorded more wins and less losses by compiling a 33-12 overall record than any other first year head coach.
*The Falcons crushed the 2006 homerun record of 29 total team bombs with their 47 out of the park shots this season. Through four games in the MAC Tournament BGSU hit six in three days.
*Freshman Susan Sontag hit nine homeruns this season - the most for any Falcon freshman and is tied for third all-time with current Falcon Allison Vallas and former Falcon Gina Rango for her single season performance.
* Sophomore Hayley Wiemer set a new single season homerun record by sending 11 on their merry way this season. She surpasses Rango's record that was set last season. As a freshman Wiemer only booted one all season.
*The senior class will walk away from BGSU as the winningest class in Falcon history. Jeanine Baca, Lauren Hoffman, Emmy Ramsey and Ashley Zirkle helped the Orange and Brown to 133 wins over the past four years.
*BGSU's 33 wins was four shy of tying the program record of 37 single season wins. This was the eighth time in program history for BGSU to accumulate 30+ victories and was the second consecutive season.
