Strong Offense Plus Solid Pitching Equals Second Straight Series Sweep

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- For the second straight weekend the Falcons have rattled off three-consecutive wins against an opponent and earned yet another sweep to gain ground in the Mid-American Conference race for first place. On Sunday, Bowling Green kept their winning streak active with their eighth straight victory and seventh straight against a MAC opponent after beating Ohio University, 12-5.

The Falcons belted out nine runs in a four-inning span beginning with a three-run fifth inning.

Despite leaving the bases loaded in the inning, the Falcons scored three times on the Bobcats to begin their separation from OU. #T.J. Blanton# blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Falcons a 5-2 lead, at the time. With the bases loaded and Matthew Pitzulo at the plate, a fielding error by OU second baseman Zach Keen allowed one more run to score for the Orange and Brown before the end of the inning.

Ohio cut the lead in half responding with a run in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 6-3 but the Falcons continued to score at will with another two runs in the sixth inning. Blanton notched a one-out single to center and advanced to second on a throwing error before Dennis Vaughn knocked him in with a two-bagger to left field. Mark Galvin brought Vaughn home on his second hit of the day, a single through the right side. After six, Bowling Green possessed an 8-3 lead.

The teams swapped runs in the seventh inning taking a 9-4 score into the eighth. Blanton drove in his third run of the game and recorded his fourth hit on a RBI single that score Ryan Schlater from second after his double down the left field line. OU's Robert Maddox III answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

The eighth inning acted as the decisive frame that made it clear Bowling Green was well on their way toward their second consecutive weekend sweep. Jon Berti entered his name in the home run race with his second jack of the series. Taking advantage of Galvin being hit by a pitch, Berti launched a 0-1 pitch over the left center field wall for a two-run shot. After pinch hitter Clay Duncan walked and Schlater singled to put runners on the corners, the Falcons scored their final run of the afternoon on a Logan Meisler single to center field, scoring Duncan.

Charles Wooten and Patrick O'Brien closed down the OU lineup for the eighth and ninth innings, relieving Kevin Leady who tossed yet another successful outing before giving way to the bullpen. Wooten allowed one run on a pair of OU hits and O'Brien followed with a scoreless ninth to complete the victory.

Leady (6-1) earned his team-high sixth win of the year after a solid seven-inning performance where he allowed four runs, three of those earned, on nine Bobcats base hits. He struck out four batters. Leady has now won his last four starts dating back to April 4 and remains perfect in the month of April. He has also won six of his last seven contests after receiving a no-decision in his start against Northern Illinois on March 27.

As was the story in Saturday's game, the top of the BGSU lineup was the main catalyst of the Falcon's offense in Sunday's 12-5 win. The combination of Meisler, Blanton and Vaughn in the top three spots of the order went a combined 8-for-16 (.500), scored half of the Falcon's runs and recorded six of the team's 11 RBI.

Blanton may have been the offensive MVP for the Brown and Orange on Sunday with a 4-for-6 day at the plate, including a home run and three singles. He led the team with three RBI on the day with a pair of runs scored. His home run was his team-leading ninth round-tripper of the year.

Vaughn was also one of three Falcons to hit a home run on the day, hitting his first of the season. He took a 2-2 pitch from OU starter Seth Streich and cranked it over the barrier in left center field, good for a solo shot.

Three Falcons had multiple RBI on the day including Vaughn, Berti and Pitzulo. Every BGSU starter recorded at least one hit giving the Falcons a total of 16 on the day.

Bowling Green (18-18-1, 9-6) has now won eight straight games with the victory over Ohio on Sunday. They have won their last seven games in conference play and complete a sweep of a conference opponent for the second straight time this year. The last time BGSU swept teams in consecutive weeks was at the end of the 2009 season when Bowling Green swept Ohio and Buffalo in consecutive weekends from May 1 to May 10, 2009.

Since 2000, only two Falcon teams have sustained winning streaks of eight games or more prior to this year's team doing so. The 2005 Falcons rattled off eight wins in the beginning of their season and the 2008 Falcons created the longest winning streak in that time with 12 consecutive wins.

The Falcons look to continue this current eight game winning streak when the team travels to Cleveland State for a Tuesday night for a 5 p.m. first pitch. Bowling Green defeated the Vikings on April 13 in extra innings, 6-5. Following their mid-week game with CSU, the Falcons will return to the friendly confines of Warren E. Steller field to continue their seven-game MAC winning streak with the Miami RedHawks on Friday, May 1.

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