Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Honor Senior Trio with an Extra Inning Victory
April 20, 2008 | Softball
April 20, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The BGSU softball team honored their senior trio, Dawnjene DeLong, Emily Gouge and Allison Vallas with a 2-1 extra inning victory over the Western Michigan Broncos. Despite the overcast day the Falcon spirits were high as they closed out their 2008 home stand paying tribute to their seniors.
Before the extra inning thriller Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons along with family, friends and BGSU fans took time to celebrate the achievements of DeLong, Gouge and Vallas in a short ceremony.
"Today was another example of a great team victory," said Head Coach Shannon Salsburg. "Obviously a huge hit at the end by Wiemer, but you get there from solid defense and great pitching by Gouge. It is just a great way to celebrate and send off our seniors who have had a great career here. It's really exciting to play that type of ball. We continue to get better every day, which is all I can ask for right now."
As the Orange and Brown defense took their positions for the last time this season at the BGSU Softball Field the pitching and defensive duel started as both teams were kept scoreless in the first inning.
The Broncos struck first in the top of the second inning as Western Michigan's Samantha Vargocko hit a one-run homer to left field, scoring the Broncos only run on the day.
The Falcons came right back as Gouge started the offense off with a lead-off walk bringing up Freshman Missy Bowman. Bowman crushed her fourth double of the season to left center to drive home Gouge, tying the game up 1-1 for the next six innings.
In the next four innings Gouge and the Falcons' defense kept Broncos quiet only allowing two hits with no runner getting past second base.
 Emily Gouge kept the Broncos scoreless for five innings only giving up one run  |
|
The Orange and Brown were kept under wraps as well with only two hits in the next five innings. Bowman started the offense out with a lead-off single in the bottom of the fourth while Susan Sontag hit a two out double to left field in the bottom of the fifth but on both occasions the Falcons weren't able to score.
In the top of the seventh Wiemer came into the circle to relieve Gouge and kept the Broncos scoreless in two innings of work striking out four of the six batters she faced.
Going into the bottom of the eighth the Falcons' had the heart of their line-up coming up to bat. With one out Wiemer blasted a walk-off homer over the right field fence to give the Falcons a victory, 2-1 over the Broncos. The homer was Wiemer's eighth of the season.
The Falcon bats were led by Bowman hitting two-for-three, including a double and a RBI. Wiemer also came up big for the Falcons going two-for-four with a 1.250 slugging percentage, including a walk-off homer to win the game. The other Falcon recording a hit on the day was Sontag going one-for-three with a double.
After a very successful 2008 home stand (8-1), the Falcons will return to the road for seven straight games before the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Falcons will start their road stand in East Lansing, Michigan as they take on their final non-conference and Big Ten opponent the Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday (April 22) at 4:00 p.m.
