Eagles Edge out Falcons in the Sixth

Saturday, February 20

Athens, Georgia

12:15 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

WINTHROP

Freshman Paige Berger nailed three homeruns in two games at Red and Black Classic

February 20, 2010 | Softball

Freshman Paige Berger adds two more homers to her resume

By: by Hannah Archer, Athletic Communications Intern

BGSU vs. Winthrop Box Score

ATHENS, Georgia—It was a close matchup between the Bowling Green State University Falcons and the Winthrop Eagles (2-2) on the second day of the Red and Black Classic, but the Eagles squeaked by the Falcons in the bottom of the sixth inning, winning 9-7. The Falcons record drops to 2-5.

The highlights of this afternoon's matchup were freshman Paige Berger's two homeruns in the top of the third and sixth innings. Each of Berger's homers brought home sophomore Melissa West, adding four more RBIs to her name. Berger has now crushed three homers in just two games.

Earning five runs in the first two innings, the Eagles kept the Falcons scoreless until the top of the third inning when the Falcons offense was revved into action when freshman Hannah Fulk nailed a double to right field. Fulk ran home for the Falcons first run of the game on a wild pitch to West by Eagles pitcher, Megan Evans. Following a single to left field by West, Berger hurled her first home run of the game to left field. BGSU earned inched closer to the Eagles, bringing the score to 5-3. The Orange and Brown squad had a total of three hits and three runs in the third.

Defensively, the Falcons were able to keep the Eagles scoreless for the next three innings, during which time junior Falcon pitcher Zada Lines recorded six strikeouts.

The Falcons biggest offensive inning came in the top of the top of the sixth, during which they recorded four hits and just as many runs. Freshman Courtney Cox started the Falcons offense with a single to the pitcher but advanced to third on a double to left center by Fulk. West then nailed a single to center field, brining home Cox and Fulk who each recorded runs for the Falcons as West advanced to second on the throw. With West on second, Berger smashed her second homer of the game to right field, recording two additional RBIs. By the end of the top of the sixth, the Falcons had taken the lead with a score of 5-7.

Winthrop was not ready to give up though as the team rallied back in the bottom of the sixth by matching the Falcons four points with four of their own. Three of the Eagles four points came from a home run by Winthrop's Chelsey Schoenfeldt.

With the Falcons unable to score in the seventh, the game ended with a score of 9-7.

"Offensively, we scored a lot and did a lot of things well," said head coach Shannon Salsburg. "It was really exciting to see Paige have such a great game. From the top to the bottom of the line up, everyone contributed; we just need to find a way

Lines ended the game with eight strikeouts and allowed only four hits and four runs.
With Berger's big sticks in the first two days of the Red and Black Classic, she has racked up an overall .765 slugging percentage on the season.

In today's loss, the Falcons outhit the Eagles ten to eight. Recording hits for the Falcons matchup with the Eagles were Hannah Fulk (3), Melissa West (2), Paige Berger (2), Andrea Arney (2) and Courtney Cox.

The Orange and Brown sluggers will wrap up their 2010 Red and Black Classic campaign tomorrow (Feb. 21) with a 9:00 a.m. matchup against the Virginia Tech Hokies.