Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan Rally Edges Falcons, 8-7
May 02, 2009 | Softball
May 2, 2009
YPSILANTI, Michigan - Despite having a big day at the plate with 10 hits and eight different players recording at least one hit the Falcons fell to Eastern Michigan, 8-7 this afternoon (May 2) after a seventh inning really lifted the Eagles past BG.
The Falcon bats got hot early posting seven runs in the first five innings but the Eagles were able to score late in the game to come out on top.
The Falcons got their first base runner of the game in the top of the first inning with two outs as the Eagles were extremely cautious against Hayley Wiemer giving her first base on a walk, but BG wasn't able to score.
The Eagles also got their offense started early scoring first with a two out homer in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the second inning the Falcons once again put runners on base with two outs. Haleigh Bielstein sparked the offense with a two double to center field. Katelynn Boso then earned a base-on-balls to put runners on first and second but BG wasn't able to score before the inning was over.
Wiemer and the Falcon defense make a quick inning of the Eagles in the bottom of the second with a one, two, three inning.
The Falcons took the momentum from a solid defensive inning to create an offensive explosion in the top of the third inning as BG plated four runs on four hits. Falcon lead-off hitter Melissa West got the offense rolling with a double off of the center field fence. With one out and first base open the Eagles were once again carefully against Wiemer and eventually gave her first on a walk to put runners on first and second. Zada Lines then stepped up to the plate and singled up the middle to drive home West and tying the game up, 1-1. Susan Sontag kept the Falcons rolling with a double off of the left field fence to drive home another Orange and Brown run giving BG their first lead of the game, 2-1. The Falcons' rally did end there as Missy Bowman singled through the left side of the infield to drive home yet another run, 3-1. The final BG run crossed home as Bielstein laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Sontag, advance Bowman, while also being safe at first. The Falcons ended the top of the third inning with a 4-1 lead over the Eagles.
Wiemer and the Falcons were able to make another quick inning of Eastern Michigan in the bottom of the third. Wiemer retired to the first two batters on her own fanning the first on strikes and then throwing the next batter out at first. However, the Eagles were then able to reach on single through the left side of the infield, but on the very next pitch Boso gunned down the Eastern Michigan runner as she attempted to take second to end the inning.
The Orange and Brown started off the top of the fourth inning right where they left off the third. For the second straight inning West started a Falcon rally this time sending a line drive to left center for a single. With one out Wiemer blasted a two-run homer soaring over the right field fence to extend the Falcons lead to four runs, 5-1. After working a deep count Lines crushed her own long ball over the left field fence, for back-to-back Falcon home runs also recording her first career homer making it a 6-1 ball game. Sontag then stepped up to the plate and was just shy of third straight BG home run as she hit a long fly ball that blew foul, but she continued to fight off pitches and eventually earned a walk. However, the Falcons weren't able to score again in the fourth before the inning was over.
In the bottom of the fourth the Eagles were able to record a lead-off single but solid defense by Falcon short-stop Karmen Coffey got the next two batters and held the Eastern Michigan's base runner at second. With two outs a Falcon error then put runners on first and third, but the Falcons ended the inning before the Eagles could score, keeping it a 6-1 ball game.
BG pushed across their last run of the game in the top of the fifth inning as Bielstein led-off the Falcons earning a base-on-balls. Boso followed her up with a single to left field to put runners on first and second. Lindsay Arney then laid down a bunt single to load the bases for BG, bringing up the top of the line-up. West hit a long sac fly to left field allowing Bielstein to score and extend the Falcons lead to 7-1 over the Eagles. After crushing a homer in the third inning the Eagles didn't take any chances with Wiemer as they intentionally walked her to load the bases with two outs. The Falcons weren't able to score again before the Eagles ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning with one out the Eagles were able to record back-to-back singles but Wiemer and the Falcon defense stood strong getting the next two outs before the Eagles could score.
The Falcons weren't able to get anything going offensively in the sixth or seventh inning.
However, the Eagles were able to rally scoring two runs in the sixth off of one hit and a Falcon error to make it a 7-3 game.
Then in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out the Eagles were able to record back-to-back hits. The Falcons were able to get the next batter, although the Eagles were able to score one run making it a 7-4 game. Then two walks loaded the bases for the Eagles and a double down the left field line allowed two more Eastern Michigan runs to score making it a one run game, 7-6 with runners on second a third. A single through the right side of the infield scored the final two runs for the Eagles ending the game, 8-7 in favor of Eastern Michigan.
Offensively the Falcons recorded 10 hits, their ninth double-digit hit game of the season with eight players recording at least one hit and two players with multiple hit games. Leading the Falcon offense were Lines and West each going 2-for-4 on the day. Lines' two hits included her first collegiate homer, two RBIs and two runs scored, while West's two hits included a double, one RBI and one run scored. Also recording extra base hits were Wiemer going a perfect 1-for-1 with a homer, her ninth of the season and 32nd of her, one RBI and one run scored and Sontag and Bielstein each with a double, one RBI and one run scored.
The Falcons will return to action as they battle Eastern Michigan in round two tomorrow (May 3) at 2:00 p.m. for the final berth to the 2009 MAC Tournament. Fans can follow the Falcons during tomorrow's final game of the regular season on Live Stats via www.EMUEagles.com.
