.png&type=webp)
Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Lipscomb
Falcons Fall to Lipscomb In Season Opener, 10-9
February 23, 2008 | Softball
Feb. 23, 2008
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The Bowling Green State University softball team opened their 2008 season on Friday evening (Feb. 22) at the Chattanooga Classic in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a 10-9 loss to Lipscomb.
Although the Falcons dropped their first game of the season their bats were alive, out hitting Lipscomb 13-10. Senior Dawnjene DeLong and junior Hayley Wiemer led the Falcon's offensive charge. DeLong hit a perfect 1.000 going three-for-three a homer shy of a cycle, junior Hayley Wiemer added two bombs over the center field wall, and a double off the left center field wall tallying seven RBIs. Freshman Rachel Delp smashed her first collegiate homer. Wiemer set a new career high with seven RBIs and tied her career high two homers, set last season against Kent State (Mar. 30).
All eight Falcon freshmen had their college debut in the Orange and Brown uniform with five of them getting their first collegiate start.
The Falcons attacked the Lady Bison in the first inning with a lead-off double to center field from DeLong. Wiemer followed DeLong up with a two-run homer to center field in her first at bat of the 2008 season, putting the Falcons on the board first,2-0. For the second season in a row DeLong scored the first run of the season for the Falcons.
In the bottom of the first the Lady Bison scored for the first time of the game off of a double from Abby Keese.
The Falcon defense kept the Lady Bison under wraps in the bottom of the second with a three up, three down inning. The Orange and Brown battery took care of all three outs with senior Emily Gouge striking out Jennifer Allsup and catching Mackenzie Tucker looking at the plate while freshman catcher Katelynn Boso caught a foul ball as well.
The Lady Bison put four runs on the scoreboard in the third inning after two singles and a double, taking a 5-2 lead. Freshman Melissa Bott made her collegiate debut on the mound relieving Gouge. Bott caught Lipscomb's Tucker looking at strike three to end the third inning.
The Orange and Brown answered back with a two out rally in the top of the fourth. DeLong was awarded first after being hit by a pitch and then Lindsay Arney was walked. With two outs and two runners on base Wiemer hit a double off the left center wall to score DeLong and Arney, bringing the Falcons within one, 5-4.
The Falcons once again kept the Lady Bison scoreless in the fourth and fifth. Boso gunned down her first runner on the base path behind the plate.
BG regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning with a lead off single through the left side of the infield from pinch-hitter Lauren Rockich. Delong moved Rockich over to second base on a sacrifice bunt, which was followed up by Arney getting a free ticket to first on a base on balls. With two runners on Wiemer creamed another homerun over the center field wall to give the Falcons a 7-5 lead.
Lipscomb came back with a single followed by a homerun from Sara Simons to tie the game up 7-7. After a Falcon error the Lady Bison were able to score three more runs off of three singles, giving Lipscomb a 10-7 lead.
The Falcons rallied back in the seventh started by blast to left field, Delp's first career homerun. With two outs DeLong sent a hard hit ball to right center for triple to keep the Falcons alive. Freshman pinch-hitter Missy Bowman stepped up to the plated and hit her first single driving in DeLong to bring the Falcons within one, 10-9. Despite having the tying run on base the Falcons fell short of tying the game up, losing their season opener 10-9 to Lipscomb.
"Today was a great team effort even though we didn't get the win," said BGSU head coach Shannon Salsburg. "Great things happened for us on field from the top to the bottom of our lineup and off the bench. The total team effort is what will get us to the next level."
The Falcons will return to the diamond tomorrow (Feb. 23) in search of their first victory as they take on East Tennessee State at 2:15 p.m. (instead of 12:00 p.m.) at Frost Stadium and then host Chattanooga at 4:30 p.m.
