Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Chattanooga
Falcons Still In Search of Victory
February 23, 2008 | Softball
Feb. 23, 2008
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The Falcons dropped two games Saturday (Feb. 23) at Jim Frost Stadium, losing in extra innings to East Tennessee State University, 5-4 and to host Chattanooga, 4-1.
Despite the two losses the Falcons had three players hit .300 or better. Senior Allison Vallas led the way hitting three-for-five on the day, posting .600 batting average with a homer, a double and a single. Junior Hayley Wiemer went three-for-seven hitting .429 and freshman Zada Lines went two-for-six hitting .333.
The Falcons will wrap-up the Chattanooga Classic on Sunday (Feb.24) against Iowa State at 9:45 a.m. at Frost Stadium and against St. Francis (PA) at 2:15 p.m. at Chattanooga State CC.
Against East Tennessee State University
The Falcons started off day two of the tournament against East Tennessee State University, with freshman Melissa Bott making her starting debut on the mound in Orange and Brown. BG got off to a quick start as lead-off hitter senior Dawnjene DeLong cranked her first homer of the season over the left field fence. DeLong went three-for-three on day one of the tournament only a homer shy of the cycle.
The Buccaneers answered back with a lead-off double followed by a single. With one out and runners in score position on second and third the Bucs tried to generate a run to tie the game, but the Falcon defense held strong. Vallas made a diving catch to on a popped up bunt and then doubled off the runner at third to keep the Bucs from scoring.
Neither team would score again until the fifth inning, when a Falcon error put a runner on first, which was followed up by a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt putting the Bucs in scoring position with runners on second and third. Katy Jett grounded out to short-stop bringing in ETSU's first run of the game. The Falcons were able to get out of the inning with only one run scored, tying up the game.
The Orange and Brown started off the sixth inning with a lead-off double to left field from Vallas. Freshman Rachel Delp grounded out to short-stop moving the Vallas over to third in scoring position. Freshman Zada Lines stepped up to the plate and ripped a single through the left side of the infield to score Vallas recording her first collegiate RBI, giving the Falcons a 2-1 lead over the Bucs.
The Falcon defense in the bottom of the sixth was all Delp at third base, throwing two runners out at first and making a diving catch off of a popped up bunt to keep the Bucs from scoring.
With the Falcons up, 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh Bott struck out the lead off batter to get the first out. A BG error put the tying run on first and after a Jett double to left field the Bucs scored tying the game up 2-2. The Falcons were able to get the last two outs sending the game into extra innings.
Extra innings placed Lindsay Arney on second base bringing the middle of the Falcon line-up to the plate. Hayley Wiemer singled to move Arney to third. With Vallas up to bat Wiemer stole second putting to Falcons in scoring position. Vallas singled to scoring Arney and sending Wiemer to third, putting the Falcons up by one 3-2. With Wiemer at third an illegal pitch by ETSU's pitcher Marissa Hardy gave the BG a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.
The bottom of the eighth put a runner on second for the Bucs and after a wild pitch, the Bucs had a runner in scoring position. A single to right center scored a run for ETSU brining them within one of the Falcons. After two more singles the Bucs tied the game up 4-4. With one out and the bases loaded the winning run scored off of a base on balls. Lines had her pitching debut on the mound relieving after eight and one thirds of an inning.
"We had the opportunity to win the first game [against East Tennessee State University]," said head coach Shannon Salsburg. "As a team we are continuing to learn how to closeout the game."
Against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The Falcons took on host Chattanooga in the second of their back-to-back games Saturday (Feb. 23) with Wiemer making her first start on the mound for the Falcons this season.
Both teams were scoreless in the first inning with the Falcons getting their first extra base hit of the game with Delp leading of the second inning with a double.
The Mocs were the first to score after a single followed up by two Falcon errors giving Chattanooga a 2-0 lead over the Falcons.
The Falcons put their first run on the scoreboard in the third inning with a two-out homer from Vallas over the right field fence, her first homer of the season.
The Mocs tallied another run in the bottom of third off of two singles and a stolen base, giving them a 3-1 lead over the Falcons with Emily Gouge relieving Wiemer in the fourth inning.
The Mocs were able to keep the Falcons scoreless the rest of the game only giving up a single to Wiemer in the fifth inning. The Mocs on the other hand were able to score once more off a homer from Katie Blevins in the sixth inning.
"Offensively, we struggled to get things going," said Salsburg. "We had opportunities but lacked a few clutch hits. Defensively we have to continue to make routine plays and get the job done."
