Falcons Hold Off Toledo After Early Outburst

Saturday, April 17

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

University of Toledo

Jon Berti (#5) had hits in each of his four plate appearances Saturday and knocked in three RBI.

April 17, 2010 | Baseball

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

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TOLEDO, Ohio -- Bowling Green took an early lead against the Toledo Rockets by scoring six runs in the first three innings of Saturday afternoon's game, but the Rocket's resiliency made the game interesting to the very end. A three-run eighth inning made the game close, but the combination of Michael Frank, Nick Bruns and Patrick O'Brien on the hill for the Falcons staved off a late Rocket rally to earn an 8-7 win, the season series and the momentum heading into game three of the series.

In the top of the second inning Bowling Green took the lead from Toledo on Jon Berti's first home run of the season. After Mark Galvin single up the middle, Berti blasted a line drive into the trees at Scott Park, barely clearing the fence but good for a pair of runs to give BGSU the 2-1 lead. After Tyler Elkins drew a walk from UT pitching standout Mike Hamann and a fielding error put runners at first a second, Ryan Schlater found a hole through the left side and drove home a run on his single to give the Falcons a two run lead.

Bowling Green followed up with a second three-spot in the third inning. After the bases were loaded for Elkins, he added to his season RBI total with a single through the center of the infield that scored two runs. Falcon designated hitter Matthew Pitzulo plated Berti with a single to left center field giving the Falcons a 6-1 lead.

Toledo drew closer to the Falcon in the fifth inning when for the second time in the afternoon, freshman starting pitcher Michael Frank allowed a home run, this time for two runs. Joe Corfman hit his fourth home run to left field against Frank to draw the Rockets within two, 6-4.

After the Corfman home run, Nick Bruns entered the game in relief of Frank retired the UT threat by striking out two Rocket hitters to end the fifth inning. Bruns continued his excellent outing by striking out four of the first six batters he faced.

The Falcons put up some insurance runs to give the staff some room to work with in both the seventh and eighth innings, scoring a run in each frame. Mark Galvin hit a two-out, seventh inning triple and finished his trip around the bases on a Jon Berti single up the middle. In the eighth, #T.J. Blanton# singled home Pitzulo to give the Falcons an 8-4 lead.

Toledo made a run for the lead in the eighth with a three-run inning to close the gap to one run. After Bruns allowed a run and left two aboard, Patrick Martin allowed a hit scoring both runs. Martin then made a play off of the mound that saved a run, and the Bowling Green lead. Toledo's Jared Hoying grounded weakly back to Martin. Falling off the mound and to his right, Martin fielded the grounder on the run and caught the runner at third between on his way to the plate, forcing him into a rundown. Chasing him down the base path towards home, Martin took the throw from Spencer and made the tag to cut the run down at the plate for the second out.

After the rundown, Patrick O'Brien was brought in to get the last out of the inning and did so by forcing a line out to center field to end the inning. O'Brien stayed on for the ninth inning to earn the long save following a scoreless ninth.

Berti was perfect from the plate going 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBI on the day with two runs scored. The five through nine hitters of the Falcon lineup went a combined 11-for-19 (.579), scored four times and knocked in all but one of the Falcons runs.

Bowling Green (12-18-1, 5-6) will finish the series with Toledo (21-12, 8-3) on Sunday afternoon with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. Coverage for Sunday's game will provided through BGSU Gameday Central and will also be broadcast live on Buckeye Cable Sports Network.