Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MURRAY STATE
Falcon Baseball Splits Sunday Doubleheader at Murray State
March 16, 2008 | Baseball
March 16, 2008
MURRAY, Ky. - After getting their five-game win streak ended with a 6-2 loss in game one, the Bowling Green State University baseball team rebounded quickly for a dramatic 7-6 win in game two of Sunday's doubleheader at Murray State. The Sunday afternoon doubleheader was held at MSU's Reagan Field.
With the win in game two, the Falcons improved to 7-7 on the season, while the Thoroughbreds fell to 6-6.
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the seventh of the seventh-inning contest, the Falcons platted two runs to force extra innings. After holding MSU scoreless in the bottom half of the stanza, BG scored two runs in the eighth to go up 7-5 as they held the Thoroughbreds to a lone run in the bottom half of the inning to earn their sixth win in the last seven contests.
It would be third baseman Derek Spencer collecting the eventual game-winning RBI as he broke the 5-5 tie with a one-out sacrifice fly that scored catcher Ryan Schlater from third. First baseman Frank Berry would add an insurance run just one batter later with an RBI single through the left side that scored Ryan Shay as BG took a 7-5 lead.
Shay led the Falcons with three hits in the game, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and one run scored. Berry, Marty Baird and T.J. Blanton each then collected two hits in the game.
In the MSU half of the eighth, Wes Cunningham hit a pinch-hit double, then Brooks Thornton hit a pinch-hit single, scoring Cunningham as MSU cut the Falcon lead to 7-6. Tyler Owen then singled, moving Thornton to second, and Blake Helm hit an infield single to load the bases with two outs.
Brett Browning came in for Charles Wooten and would face Kyle Tiernan with the game on the line and his team in trouble. However, Browning got Tiernan to ground out to end the game on a hit to second to preserve the lead and the victory.
For Browning, it was his first save of the season as reliever Dusty Hawk (1-1) picked up the win on the mound. Hawk allowed one run on three hits, striking out five and walking one in 3.1 innings.
Taking the loss for the Thoroughbreds was Mike Perconte (0-3), who allowed two runs on four hits, striking out two and walking one in 1.2 innings. Daniel Calhoun got the start, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out four and walking two in 6.1 innings.
In game one, MSU scored all six of its' runs in the fifth innings, opening the frame with four-straight singles. BG made two errors in the inning to MSU complete its' scoring.
MSU was led by Elliot Frey, Tiernan and Zach Noonan, who each had two hits. Tiernan scored a run and had two runs batted in, while Frey and Noonan each scored once and had an RBI.
For BG, Shay and Mark Galvin each had two hits, with Galvin picking up a triple and driving in a run. Brian Hangbers also had a double for the Falcons.
Shay ended his day with four hits and two RBI. He hit .818 for the the weekend as he was 9-for-11 in the three games and collected three RBI.
Picking up the win in game one was MSU's Chris Craycraft (2-0), who went the distance for the thoroughbreds, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out two and walking two in seven innings.
Kevin Leady (1-1) took the loss as BGSU's starter, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits, striking out five and walking two in four-plus innings. Wooten closed out the game, allowing one unearned run on one hit, striking out two and walking one in two innings of work.
BG will next take to the diamond on Tuesday evening when they head to Wright State for another non-conference tilt. First pitch between the Falcons and Raiders is set for 6:30 p.m. at WSU's Nischwitz Stadium.
