Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Lose One-Run Battle to #21 Ohio State
March 22, 2008 | Softball
March 21, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio - As the wintry Ohio weather set in the Buckeye Invitational was reduced from a three-day tournament to a single day double-header against #21 Ohio State and Eastern Michigan Friday (Mar. 21) afternoon. The Falcons dropped a one-run decision to #21 Ohio State, 3-2, followed by a five inning loss to Eastern Michigan 12-4.
Leading the Falcon sticks in the double header were Zada Lines and Allison Vallas with two hits apiece. Lines ended the day with a .400 batting average while Vallas hit .333, including a double and two RBIs. Melissa Bott went a perfect one-for-one hitting 1.000 batting average for the day smashing her first career double and driving home her first career RBI. Emily Gouge went one-for-two recording her first RBI of the season.
Against #21 Ohio State
BG was able to keep the Buckeyes scoreless for the first two innings and took advantage as they struck first scoring the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Lead-off hitter Dawnjene DeLong, hit her third double of the season to spark the Falcon offense with a smashing first-pitch double to center field. Sacrifices from Zada Lines and Hayley Wiemer moved DeLong around the bases home giving the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
After two and two-thirds innings the Buckeyes scored one run off of a single to right field tying up the game 1-1. The Falcons were kept scoreless in the bottom of the third and were the Buckeyes in the top of the fourth.
Wiemer started the Orange and Brown with a lead-off single through the right side. An error by the second basemen put Vallas on base and as the ball went out of play Wiemer and Vallas moved into scoring position at second and third. Gouge hit a single to right scoring Wiemer and moving Vallas to third with the Falcons taking a 2-1 lead over the Buckeyes. Gouge collected her first RBI of the season as Wiemer scored, while on base she stole second, her first career stolen base.
Both teams were kept scoreless in the fifth and sixth inning, going into the top of the seventh with the Falcons leading #21 Ohio State, 2-1. However, the Buckeyes scored two runs off of a two-run homer to take the lead, 3-2 over the Falcons before the Falcons were able to get the third out.
With the Falcons down by one Haleigh Bielstein lead-off blasting her first career double to left center. The Falcons were kept scoreless losing to #21 Ohio State, 3-2.
Against Eastern Michigan
The Falcons matched-up against Mid-American Conference West Division foe in a non-conference meeting for the second game of the double-header. A rough first and second inning for the Falcons lead to the 12-4 loss to the Eagles.
BG was kept scoreless after the Eagles made two defensive play robbing DeLong and Wiemer each of a hit.
The Eagles then scored three runs off of five hits in the bottom of the first taking a 3-0 lead over the Falcons.
The Falcon offense answered back in the top of the second started off by a lead-off single up the middle from Vallas. Bowman the laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Vallas to second. Bott stepped up to the plate and lined a double down the third base line to score Vallas and put the Falcons on the board, 3-1. Bott recorded her first career double and RBI.
The Eagles came right back in the bottom of the second to score eight runs off of four hits, extending their lead over the Falcons, 11-1.
The Falcon offense did not give up as they scored three runs in the top of the third to cut the Eagles lead 11-4. DeLong started the Falcons off as she was awarded first base on a base-on-balls. Line then came up to the plate hitting a single up the middle moving DeLong to third base and Lines moving to second on the throw. Vallas stepped up to the plate with runners in scoring positions and smashed a double to right center scoring DeLong and Lines. Bowman followed up Vallas with her own extra base hit as she blasted a triple to right center scoring Vallas and recording her first career triple.
Eastern Michigan came back to score one run off of two hits in the bottom of the third to take a 12-4 lead.
Both teams were kept scoreless in the fourth. As the Falcons came up to bat in the top of the fifth they were in need of scoring but weren't able to score ending the game in the fifth inning with the Falcons falling, 12-4, to the Eagles.
The Falcons are scheduled to take on Big Ten opponent Michigan State for the second time this season on Tuesday, Mar. 25 in East Lansing, Michigan before they begin MAC play on the road against Kent State in a double header (Mar. 28) and Buffalo in a two game series (Mar. 29-30) next weekend.
