Falcons Survive Late Charge from Colonels in 11-9 Win

Friday, March 19

Richmond, Ky.

2:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Eastern Kentucky

Charles Wooten (34) closed the door on the EKU Colonels on Friday afternoon in the Falcons' 11-9 win.

March 19, 2010 | Baseball

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Box score

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- In their third venture into the state of Kentucky, Bowling Green had its first round of success against a team from the Bluegrass State this season. In game one of three game series against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, Bowling Green again brought the bats to the diamond and scored enough to fend off a ninth inning rally by EKU to defeat the Colonels 11-9 on Friday afternoon. Ryan Schlater paced the Falcons offense with a flawless 3-for-3 day from the plate and eight of the nine Falcon hitters posted at least one base hit on the day.

For the third consecutive game and the eleventh time this season, Bowling Green posted the game's first runs when the Brown and Orange gained a three-run advantage in the top of the second inning. Three straight Falcons singled in the inning, scoring one, before an error on a double steal allowed the second run to score. On a Tyler Elkins ground out, Mark Galvin scored from third base, giving the Falcons a 3-0 lead.

The Colonels followed up with a run in the bottom half of the inning trimming the lead to a pair. Following a double down the left field line by Anthony Ottrando, a sacrifice fly scored the senior from third after he advanced on a ground out.

A run scoring single by Schlater in the fourth inning gave Bowling Green a 4-1 lead, but EKU responded in the bottom half of the fourth with two runs lessening the deficit to one run. After a walk and an extra base-hit placing runners on second and third, BGSU starter Brennan Smith allowed a two-RBI double to Richie Allen, making the score 4-3 in favor of Bowling Green. Eastern Kentucky tied the game at four in the bottom of the fifth inning after a sacrifice fly scored Richie Rodriguez who led off the inning with a triple to deep center field.

The Falcons scored seven runs between the seventh and eighth innings to build a lead that would carry the Falcons to their fourth victory of the season. Eastern Kentucky's starting pitcher, Stephen Hefler, did not record an out in the seventh, allowing two hits and a run, before being taken off the mound. #T.J. Blanton# began the seventh with a single and scored on a pinch-hit, RBI-triple to center by David Borcherdt. After freshman Matthew Pitzulo walked, senior co-captain Logan Meisler cleared the bases with the team's second triple, extending the Falcon lead to 7-4. Meisler was cut down at the plate after a fielder's choice hit by Dennis Vaughn, but Schlater again stepped up with a clutch double to right field, scoring Derek Spencer. Vaughn crossed the plate when Galvin received his second RBI on the day after a sacrifice fly to center field. After six and a half innings, the Falcons led 9-4.

After a two-run spot after the seventh inning stretch by the Colonels, Bowling Green scored another pair of runs to take an 11-6 lead into the ninth inning. With Falcons at second and third, Blanton scored on a wild pitch before Spencer singled to center field, scoring Borcherdt.

Looking to close out the game, Charles Wooten took the mound but the Colonels did not make it easy to earn the Falcon win. The Colonels mounted a three run, two-out rally after Wooten forced Michael Garcia in a ground out to second and struck Rodriguez out swinging. Following a single to left center, scoring one, Allen notched a two-run single to left center field to make the game 11-9 with the game-winning run at the plate. Wooten regained control of the inning striking out PHIPPS swinging, giving BGSU the win, 11-9.

Reigning Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year, Brennan Smith (1-2, 11.57), earned his first win of the season. Schlater topped the Falcon offensive charts with a three-hit performance, going 3-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Meisler, Galvin and Elkins all recorded a pair of runs-batted-in and each went 1-for-4 on the day.

The schedule for the remainder for the series between Bowling Green (4-7-1) and Eastern Kentucky (7-8-0) has been altered. Sensing poor weather on Sunday, the teams will now meet for a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Full coverage will be provided via LIVE STATS through BGSUFalcons.com