Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Falcons Earn Series Victory With, 4-3, Win Over Northern Illinois Saturday
March 29, 2008 | Baseball
March 29, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Another strong effort on the mound helped guide the Bowling Green State University baseball team to its' fourth-consecutive victory and second in-a-row to start the Mid-American Conference season, as they downed the Northern Illinois Huskies, 4-3, on Saturday in game two at Warren E. Steller Field. Left-hander Kevin Light and right-hander Charles Wooten combined for five strikeouts on the afternoon, while they surrendered just three runs (one earned) on six hits as the Falcons moved to 10-7 overall with the victory and 2-0 in the MAC, while the Huskies fell to 9-13 and 3-2, respectively.
BG got the game's scoring started in the bottom half of the first, platting two runs to take an early 2-0 lead, which they held all the way up to the top half of the sixth inning. That would be where NIU finally found the scoreboard, as the Huskies scored all three of their runs in the inning to take a 3-2 lead. However, the Falcons wouldn't let them enjoy that lead for long as they tied the game up in their half of the inning and then took the lead for good with a run in the seventh.
Light got the start for the Falcons on the day, going 5.2 innings as he allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and fanned two Huskie batters. He would be followed in relief by Wooten (1-0), who pitched 3.1 innings and didn't allow a single hit, recording three strikeouts en route to earning his first collegiate victory on the mound. His and Light's performance came just one day after Falcon pitcher Frank Berry tossed a complete-game where he allowed just two runs on four hits to earn BG the win in game one.
Getting things started in the bottom of the first for BG was third baseman Derek Spencer. His hard single to third on a 1-2 pitch allowed for Ryan Shay to score from third and give the Falcons the early 1-0 lead. They would add to their lead just two batters later, following a sacrifice bunt by Berry, left fielder Marty Baird scored Andrew Foster from third on an RBI groundout to plate run number two.
The Falcons would hold onto that lead all the way up to the sixth inning as Light was outstanding on the mound. The Mechanicsville, Va. native only allowed six Huskies to reach base in the first five innings as he surrendered just four hits.
Finally in the top of the sixth, NIU got on the board. Two-straight two-out singles with a runner on by Danny Reed and Dave Reynolds brought home one run and put runners on the corners. That was where Wooten took over for Light and tried to get the Falcons out of trouble. That wouldn't be the case though, as a throwing error by the Falcons' shortstop allowed two unearned runs to come across and give NIU a 3-2 lead.
BG countered in their half of the inning with two-straight one-out singles by Berry and Baird to get runners on for first baseman Brian Hangbers. Hangbers would answer the call, belting an RBI double to right to tie the game at 3-3.
The Falcons then grabbed the game's final lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single through the left side by Shay.
Shay would be one of four Falcon hitters collecting an RBI on the day as he was 1-for-3 at the plate, along with Hangbers. Leading the way with two hits and an RBI was Spencer, while Baird was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
NIU was led on the day in the losing effort by both Reed and Reynolds who finished 2-for-4 with Reynolds collecting the Huskie's lone RBI.
Getting saddled with the loss was left-handed started Adam Holdenrid (3-2), who tossed six innings and gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits.
Saturday's victory earned the Falcons their first MAC opening series win since 2004 as they have now won nine of their last 10 games.
Both squads will hit the field again on Sunday with another 1 p.m. start time as the Falcons will look to sweep their conference series of the season for the first time since 2003. The game can be heard once again on WFAL 1610 AM and seen on BCSN.
