Bowling Green State University
BUCKNELL
BG Loses 10-7 Decision To Bucknell As Spring Trip Continues
March 09, 2009 | Baseball
March 9, 2009
WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - The Bowling Green State University baseball team scored in each of the first five innings, but four runs in their final three at-bats allowed Bucknell to come back and post a 10-7 win over the Falcons Monday in Winter Haven, Fla. The game was third of BG's spring trip and their first loss. The contest was played at Chain Lakes Stadium. Both teams are now 2-7 on the season.
The Bison jumped on Falcon starter Ross Gerdeman, who was making his first career start, for three runs in the top half of the first on two walks and a three-run homer from junior outfielder Andrew Brouse.
BG came right back in their half of the opening frame to put a pair of runs up on the board on a leadoff double by senior shortstop Ryan Shay, a single by sophomore right fielder Clay Duncan, an RBI single by junior designated hitter Tyler Elkins that drove home Shay, and Duncan scored on a fielder's choice by junior second baseman Logan Meisler.
The Falcons tied the score with a single tally in the second as Shay singled through the right side to drive in freshman right fielder Jon Berti who had singled and advanced on a sacrifice and a stolen base. In the third, the Falcons took the lead with a pair of runs on just one hit as Elkins led off drawing a walk and advanced to third on a throwing error by the pitcher. He scored on an infield single by junior third baseman Derek Spencer. Spencer than scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher Ryan Schlater after advancing to third on a walk and a sacrifice.
Bucknell came back to tie the game with two runs in the fourth on an error, sacrifice, an RBI double and an RBI single.
But, the Falcons kept their string of scoring innings alive in the fourth to retake the lead as junior outfielder T.J. Blanton reached on a wild pitch third strike. He then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Duncan's fly ball to right field.
Bucknell evened things up again with a single and RBI triple in their half of the fifth before the Falcons answered with a run in the bottom half to regain the advantage. Spencer led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Schlater doubled to left field to drive in the go-ahead run.
Three Bucknell relief pitchers would hold the Falcon offense in check the rest of the way, allowing no runs on five hits while striking out seven over the final four innings, while their offense put the Bison in front to stay in the seventh inning.
In the seventh, with the Falcons clinging to a 7-6 lead, Bucknell got a one-out triple and an RBI single to pull even. Then sophomore Doug Shribman hit a pinch-hit two-run home run to left center to put the Bison ahead for good. They added an insurance run in the ninth on a bases loaded wild pitch.
The Falcons had one hit in the sixth, two hits in the seventh, and two hits in the ninth, but could not punch across any runs leaving six runners stranded, three of those in scoring position, over the last four innings.
Gerdeman, a freshman, went four innings allowing five hits and four earned runs. Freshman Kacy Dwornik relieved Gerdeman and pitched 4.1 innings allowing five earned runs on seven hits. Dwornik did strike out four, but was the losing pitcher. Junior Phil Hettlinger got the final two outs in the ninth.
Offensively, the Falcons had one more hit than the Bisons, 14 to 13, but left 10 runners stranded and could not match the two home runs by Bucknell.
Six different Bowling Green players had two hits - Shay, Elkins, Spencer, Meisler, Schlater and Berti - with Schlater the only person with two RBI. Five different BG players had a single RBI.
The Falcons will play a 12:30 contest Tuesday against Connecticut, at the same stadium, before getting a day off Wednesday. They complete their spring trip with single games on Thursday and Friday before playing two games on Saturday.
