Blue Trumps Orange in Ann Arbor

Wednesday, April 14

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:05 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

University of Michigan

Derek Spencer (above) hit his third home run of the season in the Falcons' loss to UM, 8-5, on Wednesday.

April 14, 2010 | Baseball

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Box score
Updated Statistics

ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- Through five innings the Bowling Green Falcon baseball team outplayed the University of Michigan in nearly every facet of the game, led by freshman pitcher Cody Apthorpe. However, a combination of timely hits and errors in the field allowed Michigan to score five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in the Wolverine's 8-5 win over the Falcons on Wednesday afternoon.

Apthorpe tossed five fantastic innings in his best outing of the year, by far. Over the time he spent on the hill, the Windham, Ohio native allowed only two hits and one run, while striking out a pair and walking three. After allowing his only run in the bottom of the first, Apthorpe grooved his way through four more innings of work in his no-decision.

Bowling Green possessed a 4-1 lead going into the top of the sixth when weekend starter Michael Frank entered the game in relief of Apthorpe, his second such appearance this season. Frank lasted only two-thirds of an inning and allowed four of the five runs UM scored in the inning.

Two-hitter Anthony Toth led the inning off with a solo home run over the left center field fence making the score 4-2. After a single and a double put two runners in scoring position for the Wolverines, a hit batsman loaded to bases for UM first baseman, Mike Dufek. Dufek popped out to left field but deep enough to score a run when Ryan LaMarre tagged up from third base.

Michigan's Nick Urban nearly ended the inning with a ground ball to BGSU third baseman Derek Spencer. Opting to turn the double play by going to second base, Spencer tossed to Logan Meisler to get one, but the turn resulted in an errant throw that skipped past first baseman Tyler Elkins and into the backstop. With two outs and runners resting on second and third as a result of the error, two additional Michigan base hits put two more runs on the board, giving the Wolverines the lead, 6-4.

Bowling Green cut the deficit to one run in the top of the seventh inning when Spencer took UM reliever Kolby Wood deep over the right center field fence on a 1-0 fastball the other way for his third four-bagger of the season, but it was the last time Bowling Green flipped the switch on the scoreboard.

Michigan added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning with a response to Spencer's home run, this time of the two-run variety. With Ross Gerdeman entering in relief of Charles Wooten, Mike Kittle lofted one into the Ann Arbor windy skies as the ball carried beyond the right field fences for a two-run home run. Tyler Burgoon shut down the Falcons in the ninth with three strikeouts in the inning, ending the game with the 8-5 score in favor of Michigan.

Most of the damage done by Bowling Green was done in the fifth inning when the Falcons tossed a three-spot on the board on three hits and a costly UM error. #T.J. Blanton and Dennis Vaughn# led the inning off with back-to-back singles to each side of the field putting runners on the corners. After Derek Spencer hit a slow roller to third and reach base after no play could be made, a passed ball thrown by Wolverine starter, Matt Gerbe, allowed Blanton to score and moved both runners up a base. Mark Galvin stepped to the plate and lined a drive back to Gerbe who made a reactive catch to sit Galvin down, but rushed his throw to third base in an attempt to pick off Vaughn at third. The throw flew wide of the third baseman's reach and caromed down the wall along the third base side. V aughn and Spencer then engaged in some heads up base running and sped 90 and 180 feet, respectively, both scoring on the play.

Four Falcons had multiple hits in the game as Bowling Green totaled 12 base knocks on the afternoon, compared to Michigan's nine. Spencer and Ryan Schlater both had a pair of hits and a RBI on the day, while Meisler and Blanton both had a 2-for-5 day at the top of the Falcon lineup. In addition, Schlater threw out three Michigan Wolverine runners on the day trying to steal second base. Frank (1-3) took the loss after allowing four runs in his relief appearance.

With the loss, Bowling Green falls to 10-18-1 overall on the season and will prepare for a weekend series with the University of Toledo beginning on Friday, April 16. The Falcons will take to the road to engage in the “Battle of I-75” to play the Rockets in the Scott Park Baseball Complex. First pitch time on Friday is set for 3:05 p.m. ET.