Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons On the Road Again
April 21, 2008 | Softball
April 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons are on the road again 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 trip 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. The Orange and Brown will then return to MAC play as they play a two game series against arch-rival Toledo Saturday (April 26) at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday (April 27) at 1:00 p.m.
FALCONS LIVE ON THE ROAD
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action at Old College Field the Falcons will be live via the internet. Fans can get live updates via GameTracker by visiting www.MSUSpartans.com.
MATCH-UPS ON THE DIAMOND
Michigan State University - Spartans (4/22 - 4:00 p.m.)
The Falcons will match-up against regional foe Michigan State for the second time this season making up their game from March 25 ... the Spartans are currently 23-21 and 7-7 in the Big Ten after splitting with Purdue (2-1, 0-9) and Indiana (2-0, 7-9) in league play ... the Falcons lead the all-time series 11-7 over the Spartans ... the Falcons and the Spartans met once earlier this season at the Stetson Spring Classic in Stetson, Florida where the Falcons fell, 6-2 to the Spartans despite two late inning rallies by the Orange and Brown ... last meeting between the regional foes at Old College Field took place on last year on Mar. 28th where the Falcons crushed the Spartans 11-1 in six innings.
FALCONS HONOR SENIOR TRIO WITH AN EXTRA INNING VICTORY
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. Hayley Wiemer blasted a walk-off homer over the right field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Falcons a 2-1 victory over the Broncos.
THE IMPERIAL FORCE
Junior Hayley Wiemer is now on a four game hitting streak after hitting her fifth double and seventh homer of the season against Northern Illinois. Wiemer came back the next day to record another hit against Western Michigan. The weekend didn't end their for the Sylvania, Ohio native as she went two-for-four against Western Michigan in game two of the series, including a walk-off homer to lift the Falcons to victory, 2-1. Wiemer's walk-off homer was her 20th career home run, only six shy of tying the BGSU all-time homer run leader Gina Rango (26 homers). Wiemer currently has eight homers on the season only three shy of the single season record (11) she set last year.
FALCON SPRING CLEANING
Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons got their spring cleaning started on their 10 game home stand as the swept three out of four of their opponents at the BGSU Softball. The Falcons start with sweeping Eastern Michigan in the 2008 double-header home opener (3-0, 9-4). Salsburg and company then moved on to another Michigan opponent Detroit Mercy taking two from them (5-0, 9-1). The only opponent to squeeze by and split with the Falcons was Northern Illinois (5-2, 2-3). Salsburg's squad finished their spring cleaning as they swept their third team from Michigan, Western Michigan (2-1, 2-1). The Falcons also defeated Central Michigan (7-6) at the BGSU Softball Field, however game two of the two game series was canceled due to weather.
GOUGE NO LONGER #12
Senior hurler Emily Gouge isn't changing uniform numbers, however she struck out a career high 15 batters against Northern Illinois (April 18). Gouge's former career high was 12 strike outs against St. Bonaventure (3/3/07).
APRIL "REIGN" BRINGS MAC WINS
The April "reign" has brought with it the blooming of MAC wins for the Falcons. The Falcons are currently 11-3 overall, 9-2 in the MAC and 8-1 at home in the month of April.
VALLAS' BIG STICK EARNS MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK & SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Senior tri-captain Allison Vallas, Perrysburg, Ohio native was named Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week as announced by MAC offices (April 15) and MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week (April 17). Vallas was garnered MAC East Player of the Week earlier this season and two other times in her career. She started the week posting one of the two Falcon hits against #6 Michigan's Jordan Taylor, the second best pitcher in the nation with an ERA of 0.49. In game two of BG's double-header home opener against Eastern Michigan, Vallas went a perfect three-for-three with a 3.000 slugging percentage, including to homers that soared over the right field fence, a single and four RBIs. She became only the sixth Falcon to record two homers in a single game. Vallas brought her big stick once again as she went two-for-four with a 1.250 slugging percentage, including a three-run homer and four RBIs against Central Michigan. In the bottom of the eighth Vallas hit a single up the middle to drive in the game-winning run giving the Falcons a 7-6 victory over the Chippewas. For the second straight weekend Vallas was intentionally walked, her third of the season and her career. On the week Vallas went 6-for-13 with a .462 batting average and a 1.154 slugging percentage including three homers and eight RBIs. Defensively she recorded 37 putouts and two assists with only one error for a .975 fielding percentage.
FALCONS BUCK BRONCOS IN LATE INNINGS
The Falcons were able to defeat the Broncos, 2-1, Saturday (April 19) afternoon before the over cast rainy weather set it over the BGSU Softball Field. With the victory the Falcons improve to 11-20 overall and 9-3 in the MAC. Hayley Wiemer made her 15th start in the circle of the season for the Falcons keeping the Broncos scoreless for the first five innings, giving up only one run in the sixth. Emily Gouge picked up her third win of the season as she struck out one batter and allowed no hits in 1.2 innings against the Broncos. The Falcon bats were led by Wiemer going one-for-two on the day. Sontag and Delp both went one-for-three with Delp recording her second homer of the season and a RBI blasting a 1.333 slugging percentage on the day.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
After 23 straight games on the road to open the 2008 season the Falcons returned home to post the best opening record in program history. The Falcons opened their home schedule with a 6-0 record. The Falcons winning streak at home ended in an extra inning battle against the Huskies (April 18). Salsburg's squad passed the 5-0 opening record that the 1991 squad set at home. The Falcons have out scored their 2008 opponents 42-17 on their home field.
FALCONS SPLIT WITH HUSKIES
The BGSU softball team picked up their sixth straight win at home on the BGSU Softball Field with a 5-2 victory over the Huskies. However, before the double-header was over the Huskies were able to pick-up a win in game two with an extra inning win, 3-2 over the Falcons. Junior pitcher Hayley Wiemer picked up her eighth overall victory of the season (8-4) and seventh victory in the MAC remaining undefeated (7-0) in league play. Wiemer retired four batters and picked up five assists in the circle pitching a full seven innings keeping the Huskies bats under wraps allowing them no extra base hits or earned runs in game one. Despite the Falcons loss to the Huskies in game two, senior Emily Gouge had a stellar performance on the mound striking out a career high 15 batters out of the 32 Huskies she faced. Wiemer led the offense with her seventh long ball of the season soaring over the right field fence in game two of the double-header. On the day she went two-for-five with a 1.200 slugging percentage including a two-run homer, a double and two RBIs.
FALCONS OVERTHROW TITANS IN TWO GAME SWEEP, 5-0 AND 9-1
The Falcons remain undefeated (5-0) at home on the BGSU Softball Field as they overthrew the Titans sweeping them in a double-header Wednesday (April 16) evening, 5-0 and 9-1. Falcon veteran pitchers each picked up a win against the Titans with Hayley Wiemer moving to 7-4 earning her third shutout of the season and Emily Gouge moving to 2-9. The Orange and Brown sticks were led by Wiemer and Missy Bowman each take one to the yard with Wiemer recording her sixth of the season and Bowman hitting her first career homer.
WALK IT OUT WIEMER
Junior Hayley Wiemer is known for her big stick making opposing pitchers think twice about throwing to her as she is the most walked player in the Mid-American Conference and 10th most walked hitter in the nation as she has been given first base 27 times in 84 at bats this season. Wiemer is now the all-time most walked Falcon as she has been given first 78 times in her career.
WIEMER'S PERFECT CIRCLE
Hayley Wiemer currently has the most wins and fewest losses in MAC play as she undefeated, 8-0. In league play she has recorded two shutouts and retired 48 batters in 56.1 innings with a 1.99 ERA.
THE FALCON RALLY CAW
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 46 of their 94 RBIs on two-out rallies.
ROOKIE BATS ON HOT STREAK
The Falcon rookies' bats have gotten hot as all of the eight freshman have recorded at least one hit while combined they have totaled 74 of the Falcons' 193 hits. The seniors are the only class to have more hits than rookies as they have combined for 79 of the Falcons hits.
FEAR THE "V"
Falcons' clean-up hitter Allison Vallas is feared among other Mid-American Conference pitching staffs, which was obvious as she has been intentionally walked by two of the last three MAC opponents. Ball State intentionally walked her twice as the Falcons swept the Cardinals in a two game series (April 5 & 6), which was the first time in her career being intentionally walked. Vallas was intentionally walked against Central Michigan in BG's 7-6 extra inning victory. Vallas' .358 batting average, .642 slugging percentage and 22 RBIs leads the Falcon offense. She is tied with teammate Dawnjene DeLong to lead the Falcons with 29 hits.
FALCONS AT THE TOP OF THE MAC
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 in overall and MAC play. Senior Allison Vallas is in the top ten of the MAC in seven categories. She is third in the MAC in RBIs (21, .81 per game) and slugging percentage (.636), second in total bases (49, 1.88 per game), fifth in on base percentage (.457), sixth in homer (5, .19 per game), seventh in hits (27, 1.04 per game), ninth in batting average (.351). Senior Dawnjene DeLong is seventh in hits (27, 1.04 per game), eighth in runs scored (17, .64 per game) and in total bases (44, 1.69 per game) and ninth in walks (12, .46 per game). Junior Hayley Wiemer can be found in the top ten on the offense and defensive leader boards. Wiemer is the most walked player in the MAC (21, .81 per game), fifth in on base percentage (.457), sixth in homers (5, .19 per game) and seventh in slugging percentage (.565). On the defensive end Wiemer's 2.57 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 (70, 8.12 per game), Melissa Bott at eighth (25, 6.25 per game) and Wiemer at tenth (68, 5.83 per game).
In league play Wiemer leads all the pitchers with the most wins and fewest loses, 6-0 and is eighth in strikeouts with 38 averaging 6.33 per game. Gouge is second with 25 strikeouts averaging 9.05 per game.
CAREER HOME RUN RACE
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 (20) after crushing a walk-off, her eighth homer of the season against Western Michigan (April 20). Vallas has the third most career long balls (17) after hitting her fifth homer of the season against Central Michigan (April 12). Vallas' two long ball performance against Eastern Michigan (April 11) made her the sixth Falcon to hit two homers in a game joining Wiemer who has done so twice, in the 2008 season opener against Lipscomb (Feb. 22) and once last season.
FALCONS DEFEAT CHIPPEWAS IN EXTRA INNINGS, 7-6
On a very cold and damp Saturday afternoon (April 12) the Falcons battled in extra innings to beat Mid-American West division leader, Central Michigan, 7-6 to extend their winning streak to three games overall and five games in MAC play. Salsburg's squad is now 7-19 overall and 7-2 in the MAC.
FALCONS SWEEP EAGLES IN HOME OPENER
After 23 straight games on the road to open the 2008 season BGSU softball Head Coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcons had the homecoming they were looking forward to as they swept the Eastern Michigan Eagles, shutting them out in game one, 3-0 and sealing the deal in game two, 9-4. On a windy opening day, Salsburg and company got their revenge on Mid-American Conference West division opponent Eastern Michigan after losing to the Eagles earlier in the season in a non-conference tilt. The Falcon sticks were bigger than ever out hitting the Eagles 18-12 on the day with every player stepping up to the plate recording at least one hit, including four long balls by the Falcons' tri-captains Allison Vallas, Dawnjene DeLong and Hayley Wiemer.
FALCONS IN HOME OPENERS
The Falcons are 18-12 on home openers in program history after sweeping Eastern Michigan. Since the millennium change, BGSU is 5-4 in their home debut. On Friday (April 11) eight rookies made their debut to a home crowd on the BGSU Softball Field.
FALCONS HANG TOUGH WITH #6 MICHIGAN
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.
ALL "HAIL"EY WIEMER, MAC EAST PITCHER OF THE WEEK & MAC SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Hayley Wiemer, Sylvania, Ohio native, was named Mid-American Conference East division Pitcher of the Week and MAC Scholar Athlete 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.
SWEEP OF BALL STATE LEADS TO A NEW STATE BIRD
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.
DEFEAT THE UNDEFEATED
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).
NO CLOWNING AROUND
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.
A DAY AT THE SPA FOR ARNEY
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.
ALL THINGS BIGGER IN TEXAS
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.
FALCONS UPSET KENT STATE TO PICK UP IN FIRST WIN
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.
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 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 (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 (46-34), Northern Illinois (19-13) and arch-rival Toledo (52-33). The only two West teams to lead the Falcons are Central Michigan (16-63) and Western Michigan (28-40).
SALSBURG AGAINST THE MAC
In two seasons at the helm of the Falcons Salsburg holds a record of 21-8 in league play. In her two seasons Salsburg owns nine of the 11 series in MAC. Salsburg and company lead Akron (1-0), Ball State (4-0), Buffalo (2-0), Central Michigan (2-1), Miami (4-1), Northern Illinois (3-1), Ohio (2-0), Toledo (2-0) and Western Michigan (3-1). The only two teams to lead the Salsburg's squad are Eastern Michigan (2-3) and Kent State (1-4).
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.
