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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Kent State
Kent Earns Sweep Of The Falcons With 9-4 Victory in Nightcap
April 18, 2009 | Baseball
April 18, 2009
KENT, OHIO - The Bowling Green State University baseball team could not overcome the tough loss to Kent State in the first game of the doubleheader Saturday and dropped the second game by a 9-4 score. BG had won the opening game of the series with the Golden Flashes by a 9-2 count on Friday before losing a 12-9 decision, in 10 innings, in the first game of the doubleheader at Schoonover Stadium.
With the sweep, Kent State improves to 28-8 overall and 11-3 in Mid-American Conference play while the Falcons, who came into the doubleheader having won eight of their last 10 games, dropped to 17-16 overall and they have an 8-6 league record.
After the Falcons were retired in order in the top of the first, KSU kept the momentum going from the winning the first game as the first four batters doubled leading to three runs off BG starter Brian Hangbers.
The Falcons cut into the deficit in the second as, with two outs, freshman Jon Berti singled through the right side and came around to score as sophomore Ryan Schlater followed with a double down the left field line.
Kent got a run in the bottom half of the inning as Ryan Mitchell led off with a home run to left field. The Falcons matched that in the top of the third as senior Ryan Shay walked with one out, stole second base, and scored on junior Tyler Elkins' single through the right side to make it a 4-2 game.
But, Kent State kept up the scoring adding three runs on four hits in their half of the third. Travis Shaw had a two-run single up the middle with the bases loaded after the first three batters of the inning reached safely. Mitchell added a sacrifice fly after Shaw's hit to drive in the other run.
The key inning for the Falcons was the fifth when sophomore Clay Duncan, Elkins and junior Derek Spencer all reached to start the inning with singles to load the bases. Junior Logan Meisler then singled down the right field line to drive in one run cutting the Kent State lead to 7-3 with the bases loaded and no outs. At that point, winning pitcher Steve Ross relieved starter Kyle Hallock and began a string of 14 consecutive batters retired getting out of the jam in fifth on two strike outs and a fielder's choice.
And, that was essentially it for the Falcon offense the rest of the way until the ninth. With the score 9-3, junior Dennis Vaughn doubled to the left field corner with two outs, and after a Kent fielding error kept the inning alive, Spencer singled up the middle to score Vaughn. But, Ross got Meisler on a fielder's choice to end the game.
Kent scored a run in the fifth inning on two doubles and added single tally in the seventh as Ben Klafczynski hit his second home run of the season to left field.
Spencer had three hits for the Falcons and one of the RBI while Elkins and Berti had a pair of hits with Elkins driving in a run.
Hangbers lasted only 1.2 innings and suffered his third loss of the season allowing four runs on five hits. Senior Dusty Hawk (1.1 innings) and freshman Kacy Dwornik (5.0 innings) also worked in the game for the Falcons.
Ross earned the win going the last five innings allowing just two hits and the unearned run in the ninth retiring 15 of the 18 batters he faced. Ross did not allow a ball to leave the infield until Vaughn's double in the ninth inning.
The Falcons will return to action this week with a pair of mid-week games on the road. BG will play Ohio State on Tuesday in a 6:35 p.m. contest before making the short trip up I-75 to battle Toledo Wednesday at 3 p.m. BG then begins the final portion of their 2009 schedule hosting Miami for a weekend (April 24-26) MAC series. BG will play 11 of its last 14 games at home beginning with the Miami series.
