Bowling Green State University Athletics
LIVE In-Game Blog from the 2008 MAC Baseball Championship, Thursday, May 22
May 22, 2008 | Baseball
May 22, 2008
Recap | Final Stats
LIVE from Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, OH, BGSU Athletics Assistant AD - Marketing Brian Delehoy will be blogging all throughout the Falcons' 2008 MAC Baseball Championship Day 2 winner's bracket tilt vs. Eastern Michigan on Thursday, May 22...check back frequently for updates!
3:50pm...partly cloudy and 71 degrees ten minutes out from first pitch...kind of feels like Spring for a change...play ball!
3:57pm...BG the designated Visiting Team...Matt Shoemaker, EMU's typical Friday starter toeing the bump for the Eagles...4-3 with a 4.58 ERA on the season. Falcons due to send to the plate Shay, Foster and Hangbers to lead things off...first pitch time 3:59.
4:06pm...Falcons break through with a 2-spot in the Top of the 1st...leadoff walk by Shay, advanced to second on a great read on a ball "in the turf" (field is entirely FieldTurf...same stuff as The Doyt...no dirt)...Foster flyout to deep right center (1-0 pitch)...Hangbers groundout advances Shay to 3rd...Spencer RBI double off the right center field wall on the first pitch...Galvin RBI double to left center field gap on the first pitch...Meisler groundout to end the threat...2-0 BG Middle 1st.
4:23pm...Kevin Light on the hill for Bowling Green...4-3 with a 5.13 ERA on the season...leadoff full count walk to EMU leadoff hitter Rhoad...5 pitch walk to #2 hitter Powell around an early mound visit from Danny Schmitz...EMU 3-hitter Bradshaw grounds into 1-6-3 twin-killing on a 2-1 pitch...RBI line-drive single up the middle from cleanup hitter Davis on 2-0 pitch...5-hole Ivan first pitch double down the RF line advances Davis to 3rd...Light goes 3-0 to 6-hitter Leonard before inducing a 3-1 groundout to 2nd to get out of it...control and nerve issues for Falcon hurler throughout the inning...2-1 BG End 1st. Vaughn, McFarland and Schlater due up for the Falcons in Top 2nd.
4:28pm...Vaughn backwards K on a 2-2 pitch...McFarland flyout to DEEP center on a 2-1 pitch (just got under it)...Schlater flyout to left on a 1-2 pitch...EMU pitcher Shoemaker worked noticeably quicker...2-1 BG Middle 2nd. Estimated attendance of 250 in Memorial Stadium per special Blog Correspondent Zach Christopher.
4:35pm...7-8-9 spots for EMU...Marshall groundout 4-3 on a 1-2 pitch...Boyd swinging strikeout on a 3-2 fastball up and out...Light appears to have settled in a bit, working more quickly and in rhythm...Gulliver flyout to deep left, nice running catch by Vaughn...2-1 BG End of 2nd. Top of the order due up for the Falcons in Top 3rd. Memorial Stadium somewhat of a NASCAR look with sponsor signage covering every inch of the outfield wall and most available facades within its confines.
Technical difficulties with wireless connection at Memorial Stadium.
4:45pm...Shay groundout to pitcher on 1-0 pitch...Foster walk on full count following questionable 3-1 strike call, advanced to 2nd on a passed ball (catcher tried to pick one "in the turf" with his glove instead of sliding over and using his body for all you youngsters out there)...Hangbers strikeout swinging on 2-2 low inside breaking ball...Spencer walk on 5 pitches (Shoemaker didn't want anything to do with him) and Shay stole 3rd without a throw...Galvin groundout to second on first pitch to end 2-out threat...2-1 BG Middle 3rd. Bud Light Party Deck down the LF foul line...might have to check that out as the game progresses...sounds like an ideal blogging post.
4:58pm...Top of the lineup for EMU...Rhoad groundout to second on 1-2 pitch...Powell groundout to third on 1-1 pitch, nice backhanded pickup by Spencer...Bradshaw ground-rule double down the LF line on a 3-2 pitch after a no-call for Light on the 2-2, bounced out of play into the Bud Light Party Deck (lucky ball)...Davis walk after falling behind 1-2...decent popcorn from Memorial Stadium concessions, nothing to write home about per special Blog Food Correspondent Zach Christopher...Ivan RBI single up the middle that knocked Light down...had a play on a foul ball by Leonard, but the protective net got in the way, didn't matter though, as he struck out swinging on a good 1-2 outside fast ball...Tied 2-2 End 3rd...Meisler, Vaughn, McFarland due up for BG.
5:06pm...Meisler flyout to right on 1-0 pitch...Vaughn full count line drive single to right center...McFarland checked swing strikeout on 2-2 pitch (he went around)...Schlater groundout to second on first pitch...2-2 Middle 4th.
5:14pm...7-8-9 due up for EMU...Marshall single past a diving Shay on 1-2 pitch...Boyd reaches on fielder's choice 5-4 on 2-1 pitch (no double play...close play at first could've gone either way)...Gulliver GIDP 1-6-1 to end the inning, nice turn by Shay after climbing the ladder to get Hangbers' throw...Tied 2-2 End 4th. Top of lineup due up for Falcons.
5:18pm...Shay lineout to LF on 0-1 pitch...Foster groundout to SS on first pitch...Hangbers backwards K on 2-2 inside fast ball. Tied 2-2 Middle 5th. Memorial Stadium home to the Chillicothe Paints out of the independent Frontier League. This blogger's understanding is that a "Paint" is a breed of horse...will confirm that.
5:31pm...back to the top for EMU...Rhoad groundout to SS on 1-1 pitch...Powell solid line drive single over SS on first pitch...Schlater bangs into wall behind home chasing a foul pop fly but bounces off unscathed, nice hustle...Bradshaw 2-run big fly over 345 sign in RF on 0-2 hanging curveball...confirmation by confidential local source of "Paint" being a type of horse...Davis goes yard to same spot, but higher flight of ball on 2-2 pitch after falling behind 0-2, that'll be all for Light, Danny Schmitz makes the call to the bullpen for Brennan Smith...Ivan groundout to third on 2-2 pitch, nice charging play and throw on the run by Spencer...Leonard groundout to SS on 0-2 pitch. EMU 5-2 End 5th. Special shout out to BGSU Baseball SID Kevin Shields for the power cord.
5:44pm...Spencer groundout to 2B on 1-1 pitch...Galvin stand-up double inside the bag down the LF line...Meisler single through the left side, Galvin advances to 3rd and almost runs over Danny Schmitz before holding up...EMU starter Shoemaker appearing to fatigue a bit...Vaughn flyout to shallow LF, no chance for runners to advance...McFarland 2-out, 2-strike RBI single just over the reach of the SS, Meisler advances to 3rd...Schlater flyout to LF on 2-2 pitch. EMU 5-3 Middle 6th. Dual old school/new school scoreboard at Memorial Stadium, both operated during game...person actually perched up by old school board about 15 feet off the ground to hang numbers each inning. Blog Correspondent Zach Christopher en route to Bud Light Party Deck for special report (accompanied by chaperone).
5:50pm...7-8-9 due up for Eagles...Marshall strikeout on full count checked swing, rung up by 1st Base umpire...Boyd foul out to 1B on 0-1 pitch...Gulliver round tripper to right center on 1-1 pitch, third tater on the day for EMU, all in the last two innings...Rhoad flyout to deep right center, nice running catch by Foster. EMU 6-3 End 6th. Back to the top once again for the Falcons in Top 7th.
6:01pm...Shay solid line drive single to LF, his first hit of the day...Shoemaker now at 104 pitches for EMU, beginning to miss high regularly...Foster dos on 2-1 pitch, EMU bullpen gets busy, Eagles pitching coach SLOWLY walks out to mound for visit...Hangbers definitely due, no hits in Chillicothe thus far...Hangbers lines a shot off the 2B glove that he recovers on a nice "turf bounce" to turn the 4-6-3 double play, Shay advances to 3rd...Shoemaker now at 112 pitches for the game...Spencer hits a rocket off the 3B chest on the first pitch, RBI single...Shoemaker done, Dan Puls the new Eagle hurler...Galvin doubled down the RF line on the first pitch just inside the bag, Spencer advances to 3rd...need a 2-out knock...Meisler strikes out swinging on a 2-2 off-speed pitch low and away...stretch it out while I check-in with our Blog Correspondent just back from the Bud Light Party Deck.
6:15pm...2-3-4 due up for EMU...apparently the Bud Light Party Deck leaves a bit to be desired, simply featuring a wooden deck with a bunch of picnic tables with a small bar in the corner and a creapy Ronald McDonald statue on a bench...I'm guessing with the right combination of company and beverage, it quickly turns into good times at the ballpark...Powell reaches on a two-base error E9...Bradshaw walks on 5 pitches...Davis SAC bunt out 1-3 advances runners...Ivan intentionally walked, that'll be all for Smith...Charles Wooten the new relief pitcher for Bowling Green, their third of the game...runners advance on an 0-2 passed ball, Schlater thought he had the ball in his glove, Powell scores...Leonard reaches out and pokes a 2RBI double to RF, literally just stuck his bat out...Marshall RBI "turf double" to RF on first pitch, now 10-4 EMU, still only 1 out...Boyd backwards K on full count after falling behind 0-2...Gulliver strikes out swinging on a full count, chases pitch way up and out. EMU 10-4 End 7th. NEED...RUNS...NOW.
6:32pm...gotta still be around 70 degrees...thinking about moving to Chillicothe...Baird pinch hits for Vaughn...Baird walks on 5 pitches...Gacom pinch hits for McFarland...Gacom grounds into 6-4-3 double play on 0-2 pitch...Schlater announced at the plate as EMU's SS Gulliver...both are #22 and both hitting in the 9-hole...NIU and Kent State have both arrived for their game later on...Schlater gets a "turf hit" bouncing single up the middle, back to the top and Shay...Shay lines out to CF. EMU 10-4 Middle 8th.
6:44pm...BG's fourth pitcher of the day warming up, Phil Hettlinger...Travis Owens also enters for Schlater as new Falcon Catcher, Baird stays in game as new RF...top of the lineup due up for EMU...Rhoad grounds out to 3rd on first pitch...Powell walks on 5 pitches...nice touch of mounted yellow ribbons in support of US Troops line outside fences of Memorial Stadium as you enter from the parking lot...mentioned the mild temperature here...can't believe I forgot to hit on the best weather note of all, NO WIND...Bradshaw bouncing "turf double" down the LF line just inside the bag, Powell advances to 3rd...Davis blooper behind the mound, Hettlinger attempts basket catch and comes up empty...Falcons can't buy a break right now...Ivan RBI groundout to 2B, Powell scores, other runners move up...Leonard flyout to deep right, nice catch by Baird running back just in front of wall. EMU 11-4 End 8th. Last chance with the bats for the Falcons!
6:50pm...2-3-4 due up for BG...Foster strikes out swinging on 2-2 pitch...Hangbers strikes out swinging on 2-2 pitch...Falcons down to their last out...Spencer retired F4 in shallow RF to end the game. FINAL...EMU 11-4.
BG now plays Ohio in a rematch of yesterday's tournament opener at 9am tomorrow, Friday, May 23. The loser's season will come to an end with the winner advancing to face EMU at 4pm in the afternoon, needing to beat the Eagles TWICE (the second game of which would be played Saturday morning) to advance to the MAC Championsip Game on Saturday afternoon. This blogger will be back in the offices on the east side of The Doyt, but tune in to BGSUFALCONS.COM for live stats on Gametracker or go to www.mac-sports.com and sign-up/log-in for a FREE LIVE video stream of the game. That'll do it from Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, OH...ROLL ALONG!
