Bowling Green State University Athletics
Softball Hosts Purdue and Arch-Rival Toledo in Home Opening Weekend
March 25, 2009 | Softball
March 25, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - After four non-conference tournaments on the road to start off the season head coach Shannon Salsburg and the Falcon softball team will host regional foe Purdue in the 2009 double-header home opener and the first game on the Meserve Softball Field on Thursday (March 26) at 2:00 p.m. The Falcon's will continue their home opening weekend as they host arch-rival Toledo to open Mid-American Conference play in a two game series Saturday (March 28) at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday (March 29) at 1:00 p.m.
Complete BGSU Softball Notes against Purdue and Toledo in PDF Format 
FALCONS LIVE FROM MESERVE SOFTBALL FIELD
For all Falcon fans that can't make it to the live action at the Meserve Softball Field the BGSU softball team will be live via Gametracker for all home games. Falcon fans can follow the team via Gametracker by visiting BGSUFalcons.com.
Fans can also watch the BG softball team live on BCSN as the Falcons take on arch-rival Toledo to open MAC play Saturday (March 28) at 2:00 p.m.
MATCH-UPS ON THE DIAMOND
Falcons vs. Boilermakers • (3/26 • 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.)
The Falcons host Purdue for the 2009 home opener and the first game at the Meserve Softball Field ... the Falcons and Boilermakers will match-up for the final two times of the season ... the Boilermakers are the fourth Big Ten opponent the Falcons have hosted in program history and the first since Michigan in 2001 ... the Boilermakers are currently 16-8 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten on a four game winning streak after sweeping Wisconsin, 5-0 and 6-0 ... the Falcons evened up the all-time series 2-2 earlier this season ... after losing the first two match-ups in the all-time series the Falcons are now on a two game winning streak against Purdue shutting-out the Boilermakers, 6-0 in 2006 and defeating them 6-5 in eight innings at the Buzz Classic (March 6).
Falcons vs. Rockets • (3/28 • 2:00 p.m. & 3/29 • 1:00 p.m. )
The Falcons will continue their home opening weekend as they battle their arch-rival Toledo in a two game series to open MAC play ... the Rockets are currently 1-17 overall on a 10 game losing streak ... the Rockets went 0-5 at the Radford Highlander Classic (March 20-22) falling to Radford (3-11 and 3-6), Harvard (2-7) and Eastern Michigan (0-3 and 1-5) ... the Rockets are scheduled to take on Morehead State in a double-header on Friday (March 27) ... the Falcons are on a seven game winning streak against the Rockets and on a three game winning streak on their home turf ... the Falcons are undefeated, 8-0 against the Rockets during their home opening weekend ... the Orange and Brown lead the all-time series 54-33 over the Rockets ... since the millennium the Falcons have only lost two out of the last 23 games (21-2) against the Rockets ... the last meeting between the interstate 75 rivals was last season as the Falcons swept the Rockets (4-3 and 1-0).
FALCONS IN HOME OPENERS
The Falcons are 18-12 in home openers in program history. Since the millennium change, BG is 5-4 in their home debut. Head coach Shannon Salsburg and the BGSU softball team will host their 2009 home opener and the first softball game at Meserve Softball Field on March 26 with a double-header against Purdue. The first pitch is schedule for 2:00 p.m.
MESERVES THROW OUT FIRST PITCH
Dr. Lee and Marge Meserve will throw out a ceremonial first pitch at BG softball's 2009 home opener, the first game at the newly renamed Meserve Softball Field on Thursday (March 26) prior to the Falcons 2:00 p.m. double-header against Purdue.
ROUND TWO AGAINST THE BOILERMAKERS
BG's 2009 home opener will mark round two of the battle between the Falcons and the Boilermakers. The Falcons squared off against the Boilermakers earlier this season at the Buzz Classic where BG topped Purdue 6-5 in eight innings. The win marked key performances from sophomores Melissa Bott and Zada Lines. Bott recorded her first career win giving up no runs and only one hit in three innings of work. Bott recorded her first career win from the circle giving up no runs and only one hit in three innings of work, while Lines led the Falcons bats going 3-for-4, including the game winning hit, three RBIs and one run scored.
THE HOME RUN RACE
Only seven games into the 2009 season the "Home Run Race" for senior Hayley Wiemer began as she hit her first homer of the season. Wiemer started the season with 23 career homers only three shy of tying the all-time BG career record. Wiemer crushed her first long ball of the season and 24th of her career in her first at-bat against North Dakota State (Feb. 27). Wiemer hit her second long ball of the season and 25th of her career against Cal State Fullerton (March 13), annihilating a two run homer that soared over the right center fence, which is said to be one of the furthest homers in right field at the Anderson Family Field. With over half of the season left she is only one homer shy of tying the record and two away of becoming the new all-time career home run leader.
SALSBURG AGAINST THE MAC
In two seasons at the helm of the Falcons head coach Shannon Salsburg leads seven of the 11 series against Mid-American Conference opponents, is tied with one and only trails- in three. Salsburg and the Falcons lead Akron (3-0), Ball State (5-0), Buffalo (2-0), Miami (4-1), Northern Illinois (4-1), Toledo (4-0) and Western Michigan (4-1) and are tied with Central Michigan (2-2). The three teams to lead the Salsburg and the Falcons are Eastern Michigan (2-4), Kent State (1-3) and Ohio (3-4).
WIEMER NAMED MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hayley Wiemer, Sylvania, Ohio native was name Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week (March 17). This is Wiemer's second weekly MAC honor of the season in only four weeks of play, she was named MAC East Pitcher of the Week exactly one month ago (Feb. 17) after her opening weekend performance at the UCF-Early Bird Tournament. Wiemer led the Falcon offense and tied for the fourth best batting average at the Judi Garman Classic (March 12-15) with a .500 batting average and 1.000 slugging percentage against some of the nations' top teams. Wiemer now on a four game hitting streak went 5-for-10 including a two-run homer, two doubles and four RBIs. She opened the weekend with a double just shy of the right field fence against Pacific (March 12). Wiemer topped that performance with a .667 batting average, 1.667 slugging percentage, two hits, three RBIs and one run scored against host Cal State Fullerton (March 13), including annihilating a two run homer that soared over the right center fence, which is said to be one of the furthest homers in right field at the Anderson Family Field. The long ball marked Wiemer's second of the season and 25th of her career only one shy of tying the BG career record and two shy of becoming the new all-timer career leader. Wiemer kept her hitting streak alive with a single against No. 25 Florida State and a double against No. 9 Oklahoma.
