Falcons Dropped Twice in Daytime Doubleheader

Saturday, February 26

Murray, Kentucky

11:00 am CT

Bowling Green State University

Murray State University

February 26, 2011 | Baseball

The BGSU Falcon baseball team falls to 0-5 after losing both games of today's doubleheader.

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Game 1 -- FINAL

R H E

BGSU 3 10 1

Murray State 6 6 2

MURRAY, KY. -- After Friday afternoon's contest was washed out the Falcons and Murray State Thoroughbreds returned to the field for a doubleheader at Reagan Field (Murray, Ky.). Bowling Green fell victim to the hosts getting early jumps and finishing strong after losing twice by scores of 6-3 and 4-3, Saturday afternoon. Game two of the doubleheader brought out last inning heroics as the Brown and Orange suffered their second walk-off defeat of the season.

Game 2 -- FINAL (9 innings)
	R	H	E
BGSU	3	6	2
Murray State	4	10	1

Game 1 box score -- HTML | PDF
Game 1 score pages (.pdf) -- BGSU | Murray State
Game 1 play-by-play (.pdf) -- click here

Game 2 box score -- HTML | PDF
Game 2 score pages (.pdf) -- BGSU | Murray State
Game 2 play-by-play (.pdf) -- click here

GAME ONE -- BGSU 3, Murray State 6
The combination of Michael Frank (Maumee, Ohio) and Cody Apthorpe (Windham, Ohio) combined for all eight innings of Falcon pitching. Despite the Thoroughbreds breaking out for two runs in each of the first two innings, Apthorpe only allowed two hits and three earned runs over his four innings pitched while striking out five. His four walks were his main trouble. Three of his four walks resulted in runs scored against the Falcons, all three earned.

Down four runs, Bowling Green halved that lead with two runs in the top of the third inning. The Falcons took advantage of a fielding error that allowed the inning to continue after Brandon Howard (Cincinnati, Ohio) struck out swinging. Patrick Martin (Oregon, Ohio) reached on an error by second baseman Travis Isaak and catcher Ryan Schlater (St. Paris, Ohio) doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Jon Berti's (Troy, Mich.) ground out to the right side allowed Martin to score and Schlater to advance to third base and Clay Duncan (Norwalk, Ohio) singled home BGSU's second run to make the score 4-2.

The teams remained at that score for the next three innings. To open the seventh frame, Andrew Kuns (Oregon, Ohio) added a RBI single, bringing home Matt Pitzulo (Poland, Ohio) from second base. Pitzulo had been hit by a pitch earlier in the inning and advanced to second after a walk was administered to Frank Berry (Virginia Beach, Va.). Kuns' run scoring single moved the Falcons within a run of Murray State, 4-3.

After entering the game in the fifth inning, Michael Frank had pitched well through his first three innings of work in relief of Cody Apthorpe. The eighth inning served as the final separation between the Thoroughbreds and the Falcons when Frank allowed a leadoff double to Jacob Rhodes, walked a hitter and then surrendered a two-RBI double to Paul Ritzheimer, giving Murray State a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning.

Bowling Green did not respond as Cameron Finch shut the door on the Brown and Orange with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the save.

Frank finished the game having pitched four innings, surrendering four hits, two runs (two earned) and striking out five hitters. He walked only one. Apthorpe (0-1) absorbed the loss.

GAME TWO -- BGSU 3, Murray State 4 (F/9)
The nightcap game was scheduled for seven innings in order to preserve pitching and player stamina in this non-conference weekend of play, but it still took all nine innings to decide a winner.

Bowling Green struck first with a run in the top of the first but Murray State exited the frame with a two-run advantage after posting three runs in their half of the first inning. Andrew Kuns brought leadoff man Ryan Schlater around from second on a RBI double to right field to give BGSU an early lead, but it was washed away the next inning.

Nick Bruns (Saint Henry, Ohio) took the start in game two but found trouble early after surrendering a pair of singles followed by a two-out, two-RBI triple by Brandon Eggenschwiler. A third single by Paul Ritzheimer brought Eggenschwiler around for the third run giving the Thoroughbreds a 3-1 lead after one inning.

The scoreboard filled with zeroes from innings two through six while Bruns found his groove to toss three shutout innings to combine with Ross Gerdeman's scoreless four innings of relief. Bruns allowed only two hits dispersed through his next three innings of work.

Gerdeman worked innings five through eight and kept the Falcons in the game allowing four hits and no runs during his time. He struck out three hitters and walked only one in his 17 batters faced.

The Falcons, down 3-1 entering the seventh inning, tied the game with two runs in the final frame of the seven-inning affair. Leadoff hitter Ryan Schlater walked and advanced to second on fielding error on a batted ball by Brandon Howard. Clay Duncan followed with a RBI single to right center, scoring Schlater and advancing Howard to third. Frank Berry stepped to the plate with no outs and grounded into a double play, allowing the speedy Howard to score from third base and tying the game at three runs.

Gerdeman held the Thoroughbreds off in the bottom of the seventh inning retiring three batters in a row, forcing extra innings. Both teams went scoreless in the eighth inning, leading into the decisive ninth.

Freshman Ben Singer (Midland, Mich.) took to the hill in relief of Gerdeman and struck out Zach Noonan to begin the inning. Brandon Elliot followed with a double to right center field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Travis Isaak grounded to BGSU shortstop Brandon Howard. The freshman played the ball well, getting the out and holding Isaak at third base.

After the second out was recorded the staff called for left-handed relief pitcher Patrick Martin to come out of left field and pitch to Cameron Rhodes and get the final out. Instead, Martin walked Rhoades to put runners on the corners. Murray State then called for Cody Larson to pinch hit for Eggenschwiler and on a 1-1 pitch, Larson hit a soft ground ball to the right side. Bowling Green second baseman Taylor Rhoades charged the grounder and made the throw to Martin who was covering first on the play. On the throw to first, Martin could not handle the toss, dropping the ball and in turn allowing the winning run to score.

Singer (0-1) took the loss for Bowling Green while Murray State's Will Handlin (1-0) earned the win after pitching two scoreless innings and was the pitcher of record at the time of the game-winning score.
The Falcons dropped game two by a 4-3 final score in nine innings, dropping their overall record to 0-5 on the year. Murray State earns its first two wins of the season, improving to 2-4. The teams will meet in the series finale on Sunday at Reagan Field (Murray, Ky.). Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. CST / 2:00 p.m. EST.

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.