Falcons Go Blow For Blow With WKU; KO’ed in 9th

Saturday, February 19

Bowling Green, Kentucky

2:00 pm CT

Bowling Green State University

Western Kentucky University

February 20, 2011 | Baseball

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

BOWLING GREEN, KY. -- Bowling Green baseball nearly matched Western Kentucky inning by inning in run production in Saturday afternoon's game two against the Hilltoppers. Down two runs heading into the ninth, the Falcons fought back with a pair of runs to tie the game but the hosts pulled out a victory in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with an 8-7 win.

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Play-by-Play

Heading into the ninth inning with a 7-5 score in favor of WKU, Bowling Green put together a two run inning to tie the game. Relief pitcher Rye Davis entered the game fresh out of the bullpen only to face the heart of the BGSU lineup. Jon Berti (Troy, Mich.) led the inning off with an infield single to the left side and scored from first on Matt Pitzulo's (Poland, Ohio) double to right-center field. Pitzulo then moved to third on a sacrifice play and was brought home to score on Alex Davison's (Grand Ledge, Mich.) two-out single through the left side of the infield.

Entering his third inning of relief work, freshman Ethan McKenney (Defiance, Ohio) allowed a leadoff double to Jared Andreoli before he was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. The bench then called for intentional walks to the next two hitters to get through the three and four spots of the Hilltopper lineup. Six-hitter Matt Rice drove home the game-winning run on a ball batted through the left side, scoring Andreoli from third base and ending the game, 8-7.

Nick Bruns (Saint Henry, Ohio) earned the start and went four innings, allowing five hits and three runs (all earned) in the no-decision. Cody Apthorpe (Windham, Ohio) entered in the fifth inning and allowed four runs on as many hits in his two innings of work. Despite earned the loss, McKenney had a strong Falcon debut striking out and walking two batters, allowing a pair of hits and one run over 2.1 innings of work.

Berti ended the day batting 3-for-5, scoring twice and having one stolen base. Brandon Howard (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned his first base hit and RBI as a Falcon on a single up the middle during the Falcons' two-run second inning.

The Falcons and Hilltoppers matched one another scoring four runs each through the first five innings. Both teams swapped a pair of runs in the second inning and one run in both the fourth and fifth innings. Bowling Green took a one-run lead in the sixth after a ground out by Andrew Kuns (Oregon, Ohio) scored a run but WKU responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth for a lead that lasted until the decisive ninth inning.

Other notables include Clay Duncan's (Norwalk, Ohio) 2-for-4 day at the plate and Patrick Martin (Oregon, Ohio) finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI.

The Falcons and Hilltoppers will meet one more time on Sunday, 2 p.m. CST / 1 p.m. EST, for the series finale at Nick Denes Field (Bowling Green, Ky.). Michael Frank (Maumee, Ohio) is the projected BGSU starter and will face WKU's Justin Hageman (RHP).

Full coverage of Falcon baseball and all 18 varsity sports can be found on the official online home of BGSU athletics, www.BGSUFalcons.com. Be sure to follow the Falcons on Facebook by searching “BG Warriors” or follow them on Twitter through www.twitter.com/WEAREBGBASEBALL.