Bowling Green State University Athletics
There's No Place Like Home
April 10, 2008 | Softball
April 10, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
Complete Release in PDF Format (18 pages)
Head Coach Shannan Salsburg and the Falcons will finally return home after 23 straight games on the road to as they host Eastern Michigan on Friday (April 11) in a double-header for the 2008 home opener with the first pitching scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Falcons will then welcome Central Michigan in a two game series Saturday (April 12) at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday (April 13) at 1:00 p.m. BG softball will play their 10 home games of the 2008 season in 10 straight days begin with their home opener on April 11 and finish up with senior day on April 20.
FALCONS LIVE FROM THE BGSU SOFTBALL FIELD
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action at the BGSU Softball Field the Falcons will be live via the internet and radio all weekend. Fans can get live updates via GameTracker by visiting www.BGSUFalcons.com. Fans can also listen to game on 1610 WFAL-AM, on Time Warner Channel 21 or on the internet by visiting www.BGRSO.org and clicking on the WFAL link.
MATCH-UPS ON THE DIAMOND
Eastern Michigan University - Eagles - (4/11 - 1:00 p.m. - DH)
The Falcons will face off against MAC West division opponent Eastern Michigan for the second time this season for the 2008 home opener ... the Eagles are currently 8-18 and 0-2 in the MAC after falling to Notre Dame (1-10, 1-5) ... due to weather and field conditions the Eagles have only played two MAC games losing both to Central Michigan (0-2, 5-9) ... the Falcons are soaring over the Eagles 44-34 in the all-time series ... the last meeting between the two was earlier this season at the Buckeye Invitational where the Falcons lost to the Eagles (4-12) ... the last two seasons of the series between the Falcons and Eagles were sweeps with the Falcons taking two games from the Eagles in 2006 and the Eagles taking three games from the Falcons in 2007.
FALCONS IN HOME OPENERS FALCONS HANG TOUGH WITH #6 MICHIGAN ALL "HAIL"EY WIEMER, MAC EAST PITCHER OF THE WEEK FALCONS AT THE TOP OF THE MAC In league play Gouge leads all pitchers with 21 strikeouts averaging 10.50 per game and Wiemer is second in the MAC with four wins (4-0).
WALK IT OUT WIEMER SWEEP OF BALL STATE LEADS TO A NEW STATE BIRD DEFEAT THE UNDEFEATED FEAR THE "V" SENIOR STREAKS NO CLOWNING AROUND A DAY AT THE SPA FOR ARNEY THE FALCON RALLY CAW ALL THINGS BIGGER IN TEXAS FALCONS UPSET KENT STATE TO PICK UP IN FIRST WIN ROOKIE BATS ON HOT STREAK CAREER HOME RUN RACE FREQUENT FALCON MILES FALCONS BATTLE THE BIG TEN MICHIGAN STATE GAME RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL 22 FALCONS AGAINST THE MAC EAST SALSBURG AGAINST THE MAC FALCONS DOUBLE UP ON DAY TWO OF STETSON SPRING CLASSIC VALLAS CONTINES TO PICK-UP HONORS VALLAS NAMED TO WAR EAGLE CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM VALLAS NAMED LOWE'S SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST FALCON BATS OPEN SEASON WITH A BANG 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.
The Orange and Brown will match-up against Central Michigan in a two game series to wrap-up the 2008 opening weekend at the BGSU Softball Field ... Central Michigan is currently 13-12 overall and 5-1 in the MAC leading the West division ... the Chippewas are one of two West division opponents that lead the Falcons in the all-time series 15-63 ... the last meeting between the two teams was during the MAC Tournament (May 11) last season where the Chippewas just beat the Falcons 0-2 to knock BG out of the MAC Tournament.
The Falcons are 17-12 on home openers in program history. Since the millennium change, BGSU is 4-4 in their home debut. On Friday (April 11) eight rookies will make their debut to a home crowd on the BGSU Softball Field. The Falcons are the only MAC team besides Buffalo yet to play at home with the Falcons having the latest scheduled home opener in the MAC this season.
Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons fell to #6 Michigan, 4-0 at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Wednesday evening (April 9). The Wolverines are the fourth Big Ten team the Orange and Brown have faced this season thus far. The Falcons were out hit by #6 Michigan 10-2, however the Orange and Brown recorded the second most hits against the second best pitcher in the nation, Jordan Taylor in her last four starts and last five appearances. Taylor owns a 0.49 ERA, which fits right in with the Michigan pitching staff as a whole as they lead the nation with a 0.60 ERA. While #6 Michigan and Taylor have faced three MAC opponents the Falcons' two hits are the most any MAC team has recorded against Taylor with Miami going hitless Central Michigan only recording one hit. Senior Dawnjene DeLong almost became the fourth player to hit a long ball off of the number two pitcher in the nation Taylor hit as crushed a long fly ball to the center field warning track just shy of the center field fence but Michigan's center fielder Molly Bausher made a great catch to rob DeLong of an extra base hit.
Hayley Wiemer, Sylvania, Ohio native, was named Mid-American Conference East division Pitcher of the Week announced by the conference office April 8, after recording three wins in three against Miami and Ball State. Wiemer led the Falcons to an 8-3 win over the undefeated RedHawks, giving them their first loss in the MAC. She topped her performance in her next two outings from the mound sweeping Ball State in a 3-0 shutout on Saturday (April 5) and an 8-4 victory on Sunday (April 6). In the shut out against the Cardinals, Wiemer allowed only one batter to reach first base in the first three innings on a base-on-balls, with no runner getting past second base the entire game. For the weekend Wiemer struck out 14 batters in 18.1 innings of play posting a 2.29 ERA. Wiemer is now 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the MAC from the circle.
With the begin of April the Falcons have moved up 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 overall and six of the twelve categories in MAC play. Senior Dawnjene DeLong is in the top ten of the MAC in five categories. She is fourth in the MAC in hits (24, 1.09 per game), third in total bases (38, 1.73 per game), fifth in doubles (6, .27 per game), seventh in runs scored (16, .64 per game) and ninth in slugging percentage (.535). Senior Allison Vallas is sixth in on base percentage (.442), eighth in RBIs (13, .59 per game) and in total bases (34, 1.55 per game) and tenth in slugging percentage (.531). Junior Hayley Wiemer can be found in the top ten on the offense and defensive leader boards. Wiemer is second most walked player in the MAC (17, .77 per game), fifth in on base percentage (.455) and eighth in RBIs (13, .59 per game). On the defensive end Wiemer's 2.51 ERA is the ninth best in the MAC. The Falcon pitching staff is the only team to have three pitchers in the top ten for strikeouts with Emily Gouge at third (63, 8.37 per game), Melissa Bott at eighth (25, 6.25 per game) and Wiemer at tenth (49, 5.59 per game).
Junior Hayley Wiemer is known for her big stick as she is the second most walked player in the Mid-American Conference and 14th most walked hitter in the nation as she has been given first base 17 times in 58 at bats.
The Falcons earned their 45th and 46th program wins and extended their winning streak to 14 games over the Ball State Cardinals. The Falcons started the two game series out with a shut out, 3-0, in game one (April 5). BG then came right back to sweep the Cardinals winning game two (April 6), 8-4. As the Falcons won the battle of the birds soaring over the Cardinals be on the look out for Ohio's new state bird, the FALCONS.
The Falcons picked up their golden victory over Miami as they handed the RedHawks their first MAC loss of the season. The Falcons picked up their 50th program victory over the RedHawks with a decisive 8-3 win over the formerly undefeated Miami RedHawks in game one of the double-header (April 5).
Falcons' clean-up hitter Allison Vallas is feared among other Mid-American Conference pitching staffs, which was obvious as Ball State intentionally walked her twice this past weekend as the Falcons swept the Cardinals in a two game series. This was the first time in her career being intentionally walked. Vallas' .328 batting average, .522 slugging percentage lead the Falcon offense. She is tied with teammate Hayley Wiemer to lead the Falcons with 13 RBIs. Vallas' 22 hits are the second best on the team.
Seniors Dawnjene DeLong and Emily Gouge are going out with a bang as both of them are on a four game hitting streak in MAC play and have recorded a double in both of the Falcons' last two games. DeLong is on her third four game hitting streak and second for the Falcon offense with a .324 batting average and a .514 slugging percentage. In her four game hitting streak Gouge recorded more hits than in the past three seasons, she has 10 hits on the season thus far.
Between freshman Katelynn Boso's unique last name and bubbly personality she makes people laugh but there is no clowning around when it comes to her play on the field. Boso recorded her first collegiate grand slam and homer against Ball State (April 6) lifting the Falcons to an 8-4 victory over the Cardinals.
Freshman centerfielder Lindsay Arney got a free mud bath in Muncie, Indiana (April 5), however she didn't make the typical trip to the spa for it. In game one of the two game series against Ball State the Falcons were up 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. With two-outs, runners on first and second and the tying run stepping up to the plate Arney made a diving catch in front of her to end the game and give the Falcons their first of two victories in their sweep over the Cardinals. Arney not only came up with the ball but a free mud bath as the front of her uniform was caked in mud.
Most opponents think when they have two outs in an inning, the inning is just about over but when the Falcons are at the plate they are only getting started. The Falcons have scored over half of their RBIs this season on 15 two-out rallies. The Falcons have scored 37 of their 59 RBIs on two-out rallies.
Freshman Haleigh Bielstein, a native of Inez, Texas hit her first collegiate homer in the Falcons 8-5 win over Kent State. The three-run long ball to center field was the eighth for the Falcons as a team this season and tied junior Hayley Wiemer's three-run homer for the most RBIs on one hit.
Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons opened BG's 26th season of Mid-American Conference play with a decisive 8-5 win over East division rival Kent State in game one of the double-header and falling to the Golden Flashes in game two in a one run battle that was decided in the bottom of the seventh, 3-2. Kent State was picked as the favorite to win the MAC East division, finishing ahead of the Falcons, and to win the MAC Tournament. The win for Salsburg and company marks the first win of the season and the first victory for Salsburg against her former team.
The Falcon rookies' bats have gotten hot as seven of the eight freshman have recorded at least one hit while combined they have totaled 49 of the Falcons' 128 hits. The seniors are the only class to have more hits than rookies as they have combined for 56 of the Falcons hits.
Falcon big guns Allison Vallas and Hayley Wiemer were neck-in-neck last season as they were in the race for the BGSU single season home run record, which Wiemer now holds. Both veterans are now in the race for the BGSU career home run record. The record is currently held by Gina Rango with 26 career homers. Wiemer now has the second most career long balls (15) after her third homer of the season against Kent State. Vallas is tied for the third most homers with 14, she has two homers on the season.
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.
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 #24 Ohio State, #6 Michigan, Iowa, who is one of the 13 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 9. 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.
The battle between the Falcons and the Spartans has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 22 at Old College Field in East Lansing, Michigan with the first pitch being thrown at 4:00 p.m.
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 (50-36) and Ohio (49-32). The only team in the MAC East division to lead the Falcons is Kent State (41-49-1). 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 (46-27), 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).
In two seasons at the helm of the Falcons Salsburg holds a record of 18-8 in league play. In her two seasons Salsburg owns or has tied nine of the 11 series in MAC. Salsburg and company lead Akron (1-0), Ball State (4-0), Buffalo (2-0), Miami (4-1), 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 (1-4).
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 Iowa.
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).
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.
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.
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.
