Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Open MAC Play On the Road
March 27, 2008 | Softball
March 27, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Falcons will open BG's 26th season in the Mid-American Conference on the softball diamond this weekend. In 25 seasons of softball in the MAC BG has posted a 333-274-1 conference record. Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons will open the 2008 MAC schedule as they invade the Kent State Golden Flashes for a double header on Friday (Mar. 28) at 1:00 p.m. The Orange and Brown will continue MAC East league play with a two game series Saturday and Sunday (Mar. 28 & 29) against the Buffalo Bulls with the first pitch being thrown at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and 2:00 p.m. Sunday.
FALCONS LIVE ON THE ROAD
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action in Kent, Ohio or Buffalo, New York the Falcons will be live via the internet all weekend. Falcon fans can log onto GameWatcher Live Stats by visiting www.KentStateSports.com to follow the Falcons during Friday's double-header against the Golden Flashes. Falcon fans can follow the two game series against the Bulls via live stats by visiting www.BuffaloBulls.com under the multimedia section.
MATCH-UPS ON THE DIAMOND
Kent State University - Golden Flashes - (3/28 - 1:00 p.m. - DH)
The Falcons will open their 2008 MAC schedule against East division foe Kent State ... this will be the second meeting between Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and her former team and the first time Salsburg battles Kent State at their home field ... the Golden Flashes were voted to finish first in the MAC East division and win the MAC Tournament ... Kent State is currently 17-7, after sweeping Robert Morris (10-2 - 6 inn., 7-2) in the Golden Flashes' double-header home opener (Mar. 26) ... the Golden Flashes' pitching staff is lead by Gabrielle Burns, who is currently the top pitcher in the MAC with a 0.86 ERA ... their offense is lead by Jessica Carmichael with .347 batting average and 26 hits ... the Golden Flashes are the only MAC East division opponent to lead the Falcons in the all-time series (40-48-1) and one of two league opponents to lead the series against the Falcons with Salsburg at the helm ... the last time the two birds battled was a double-header at the BGSU softball (Mar. 30, 2007) where the Falcons fell to the Golden Flashes by two runs in both games (1-3, 2-4).
University at Buffalo - Bulls - (3/29 - 2:00 p.m. & 3/30 - 1:00 p.m.)
The Orange and Brown will match up against the Buffalo Bulls for a two game road series to wrap-up the first weekend of league play ... the Falcons are on an eight game winning streak against the Bulls, sweeping them the last three seasons ... the Bulls are currently 1-15, on a nine game losing streak, after posting a 0-3 record at the Kansas Invitational (Mar. 14-16) ... the Bulls were swept by Kansas in a double-header (9-0, 12-5) and fell Louisiana Tech (8-0) ... the Falcons own the all-time series 14-3, with a 9-1 record in the last ten meetings ... the last meeting (Mar. 30 & 31, 2007) between the two teams the Falcons swept the Bulls in a two game home series (9-3, 9-5 - 5 inn.).
MICHIGAN STATE GAME RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL 22
The battle between the Falcons and the Spartans has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 22 at Old College Field in East Lansing, Michigan with the first pitch being thrown at 4:00 p.m.
SIX DEGREES OF FALCONS
As the Falcons take on all too familiar MAC East division opponent Kent State the familiarity extends from the field to the dugouts. BGSU Head Coach Shannon Salsburg will take on her former team for the first time on the Golden Flashes home field. In the first meeting between Salsburg and her former team the Falcons weren't so lucky falling to the Golden Flashes in double-header by two runs in both games. However, the familiar faces between the two teams don't end there as the Falcons will be facing four former high school teammates and three travel ball teammates. Junior Hayley Wiemer played with Kent States' Alyssa Frobase at St. Ursula Academy and on Team Coca-Cola, Chelsey Jones was also a teammate of Wiemer's at St. Ursula Academy. Freshman Katelynn Boso will face former Ellet high school and Grand Slam teammate Heather Duhon, while Missy Bowman will face former Massillon Perry high school teammate Amy Hair. Zada Lines and Rachel Delp will see Lady Lasers teammate Holly Finchum in opposing dugouts.
FALCONS AT THE TOP OF THE MAC
As the month of March comes to a close the Falcons remain in the Mid-American Conference leader boards. The Falcons have one or more players in the top ten of the MAC in nine of the twelve hitting categories. Senior Allison Vallas is in the top ten of the MAC in seven categories. She leads the Falcons and is eighth in the MAC in batting average (.367), fourth in total bases (30, 1.88 per game), fifth in RBIs (12, .75 per game), sixth in hits (18, 1.13 per game), slugging percentage (.612) and doubles (16, .25 per game), and ninth in on base percentage (.436). Senior Dawnjene DeLong is seventh in on base percentage (.446), ninth in hits (17, 1.06 per game) and tenth in runs scored (10, .63 per game). Junior Hayley Wiemer can be found in the top ten on the offense and defensive leader boards. Wiemer is third most walked player in the MAC (13, .81 per game) and ninth in on base percentage (.436). On the defensive end Wiemer's 2.33 ERS is the seventh best in the MAC. The Falcon pitching staff is one of three teams two have two pitchers in the top ten for strikeouts with Emily Gouge at fourth (42, 7.60 per game) and Melissa Bott at seventh (24, 6.22 per game).
FALCONS AGAINST THE MAC EAST
The Falcons have dominated their MAC East division foes as they own all but one all-time series record. The Falcons lead Akron (39-20-1), Buffalo (14-3), Miami (49-35) and Ohio (49-32). The only team in the MAC East division to lead the Falcons is Kent State (40-48-1). In the MAC West division the Falcons lead four out of the six opponents in the all-time series. The Orange and Brown lead Ball State (44-27), Eastern Michigan (44-34), Northern Illinois (18-12) and arch-rival Toledo (52-33). The only two west teams to lead the Falcons are Central Michigan (15-63) and Western Michigan (26-40).
SALSBURG AGAINST THE MAC
As Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons enter the 2008 MAC schedule, Salsburg holds a record of 14-6 in league play. In only one season at the helm of the Falcons Salsburg owns or has tied nine of the 11 series in MAC. Salsburg and company lead Akron (1-0), Ball State (2-0), Buffalo (2-0), Miami (3-0), Northern Illinois (2-0), Ohio (2-0) and Toledo (2-0) and are tied with Central Michigan (1-1) and Western Michigan (1-1). The only two teams to lead the Salsburg's squad are Eastern Michigan (0-3) and Kent State (0-3).
FALCONS DOUBLE UP ON DAY TWO OF STETSON SPRING CLASSIC
The Falcons doubled up on day two of the Stetson Spring Classic against Cornell and Iowa hitting five doubles in 11 hits over two games. The Orange and Brown's first three hits against Cornell were doubles to right center by three different Falcons, Emily Gouge, Zada Lines and Missy Bowman each recording their first career double. In the second game of the double-header the Falcons hit two more doubles from Hayley Wiemer and Gouge, each recording their second double of the season and for Gouge her second double of the day. Gouge tied a career high two hits against Cornell with her first multiple hit game of the season, while Lines had her second multiple hit game of the season. Wiemer had her third multiple hit game of the season against I.
ROOKIE BATS ON HOT STREAK
The Falcon rookies' bats have gotten hot as seven of the eight freshman have recorded at least one hit while combined they have totaled 34 of the Falcons' 89 hits. The seniors are the only class to have more hits than rookies as they have combined for 39 of the Falcons hits. Freshman Melissa Bott and Zada Lines are both on hitting streaks after last weekend's play at the Buckeye Invitational. Bott, now on a two game hitting streak recorded her first collegiate hit against Michigan State (Mar. 16) and smashed her first career double against Eastern Michigan (Mar. 21) . Lines, also now on a two game hitting streak recorded a hit in both games of the Buckeye Invitational against Ohio State and Eastern Michigan (Mar. 21). Missy Bowman's stick has also been hot recording a hit in four of the last five games.
FREQUENT FALCON MILES
The Falcons opened the 2008 season like every other season in program history on the road. However, the difference this year is that the Falcons will play 27 road games before their season opener on the BGSU softball field, which is the longest opening road trip in program history. The Falcons will rack up an estimated 7,022 miles to compete in seven different states, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, New York, Indiana, and in other areas of Ohio before returning to Bowling Green April 11 for their home opener.
FALCONS BATTLE THE BIG TEN
The Falcons will match-up against four of the 11 Big Ten teams this season, including three of the top four teams, 2007 Big Ten Champions and current #19 Ohio State, #9 Michigan, Iowa, who is one of the eight teams receiving votes not in the top 25, and Michigan State. In the next four weeks the Falcons will take on one or more Big Ten team each week. BG will start their battle against the Big Ten at the Stetson Spring Classic taking on Iowa on Mar. 15 and Michigan State on Mar. 16. The following weekend the Orange and Brown will match-up against state rival Ohio State at the Buckeye Invitational on Mar. 22. Salsburg and company will make a trip up to Ann Arbor, Michigan to play the Wolverines on April 2. Due to weather the Falcons will now finish up their series against the Big Ten taking on the Spartans for the second time this season in East Lansing, Michigan on April 22.
DELONG LEADS THE WAY FOR THE FALCONS
Senior Dawnjene DeLong is not only the lead-off batter for the Falcons but she is leading the Falcons scoring with 10 runs scored and on base percentage (.446). DeLong is second on the team in batting average (.354) slugging percentage (.521), hits (17), and doubles (3). She started off the season going a perfect three-for-three at the plate, a homer shy of a cycle, scoring three runs in the season opener. DeLong has recorded at least one hit in 12 of the Falcon's 16 games thus far, including four multiple hit games.
VALLAS CONTINES TO PICK-UP HONORS
Allison Vallas picked-up MAC East Player of the Week honors (Mar. 12) for her performance at the War Eagle Classic where she was named to the All-Tournament team. Vallas opened the 2008 season with an eight game hitting streak and has record at least one hit in eight of the nine games for the Falcons with a season high three hits and three RBIs against Lipscomb (Mar. 7). She is currently second on the team in batting average (.414), third in slugging percentage (.655) and tied for the team best in hits (12) and RBIs (7).
VALLAS NAMED TO WAR EAGLE CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Senior Allison Vallas was named to the War Eagle Classic All-Tournament team after posting .417 batting average and .667 slugging percentage for the weekend. Vallas tallied five hits in 12 at-bats, including a double, a triple and three RBIs. She currently second on the team in batting average (.414), third in slugging percentage (.655) and tied for the team best in hits (12) and RBIs (7).
VALLAS NAMED LOWE'S SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST
Senior tri-captain Allison Vallas was named one of the top thirty softball senior student-athletes in the nation. Vallas, a Perrysburg, Ohio native, is the first Falcon to receive this honor and was one of the three Mid-American Conference student-athletes to be named to this prestigious list. She is an exercise science major with a 3.95 GPA and a two-time All-MAC selection, a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree and has been named to the ESPN the Magazine All-District Team.
FALCON BATS OPEN SEASON WITH A BANG
The Falcons opened the 2008 season hitting .394 batting average as a team, with six players hitting .500 batting average or better, including three players hitting a perfect 1.000.
Senior Dawnjene DeLong went a perfect three-for-three a homer shy of a cycle, with a single, double and triple scoring three runs for the Orange and Brown.
Junior Hayley Wiemer opened the 2008 with bang totaling two homers, a double and a career high seven RBIs in the first game of the season. In her first appearance at the plate of the season Wiemer blasted a two-run homer over the center field wall. In her third at-bat of the game she knocked a double off the left-center field wall. Wiemer's final at bat of the 2008 season opener was a smashing three-run homer over the center field wall.
Freshman Rachel Delp also hit her first career long ball over the left field wall in the Falcons season opener.
SALSBURG FIRST HEAD COACH IN OPENING SEASON TO ...
In her first season at the helm of the Falcons head coach Shannon Salsburg recorded the most wins and fewest losses of any head coach in their first season with a 33-12 record ... she is the only first year head coach to lead her team to more than 25 wins ... the first head coach to post a winning record at the end of her first opening weekend, with a 4-1 record and being crowned the back-to-back champions of the Panera Bread Challenge ... her team is the only team to hit more than 40 homeruns in a single season ... she is the most efficient first year head coach posting on overall winning percentage of .733 with a record of 33-12 and a MAC winning percentage of .700 with a conference record of 14-6 ... Salsburg's .733 overall winning percentage also makes her the most efficient head coach in BGSU softball history.
`07 FALCONS MOST EFFICIENT TEAM IN PROGRAM HISTORY
The Orange and Brown of 2007 became the most efficient team in BGSU softball program history recording a .733 winning percentage with a record of 33-12 in Salsburg's first year at helm ... `07 squad surpassed the mark of .698 winning percentage set by head coach Jacquie Joseph and the 1992 team with a record of 37-16.
