Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MICHIGAN
Falcons Fall to #6 Michigan
April 09, 2008 | Softball
April 9, 2008
ANN ARBOR, 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.
Wednesday's tilt between the Falcons and the Wolverines was set to be a pitching battle between Hayley Wiemer, the Mid-American Conference East Pitcher of the Week and Jordan Taylor the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. The beginning of the game was just that as both teams were kept scoreless in the first two innings.
BG's defense was solid from start to finish as they held strong in the top of the first after a lead-off double put the Wolverines in scoring position. However the Falcon defense was able to get out of the inning keeping the Wolverines scoreless.
The Falcon defense continued to make great plays the entire game. In the bottom of the fourth inning outfielder Missy Bowman made a sliding catch in right field to end the inning and keep the Wolverines from scoring more run. In the bottom of the fifth catcher Katelynn Boso gunned down her sixth runner trying to steal.
The first Falcon hit came from Allison Vallas in the top of the second inning as she singled up the middle and then stole second to put the Falcons in scoring position for the first time of the game.
The second Falcon hit didn't come until the top of the fifth inning as Bowman singled through the right side of the infield. Katelynn Boso then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Bowman to second base putting a runner in scoring position for the Falcons, but the Orange and Brown were kept scoreless once again.
The Falcons looked like they were making a come back in the top of the sixth inning as Dawnjene DeLong hit 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.
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.
The Wolverines were led by Roya St. Claire who went three-for-three and Alessandra Giampaolo who went three-for-four with one RBI.
The Falcons will finally return home after a 23 game road stand to host Eastern Michigan in a double-header on Friday (April 11) at 1:00 p.m. in the 2008 home opener at the BGSU Softball Field.
