Falcons Fall in Extras to Open RussMatt

Saturday, March 5

Winter Haven, Florida

1:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Xavier University

March 06, 2011 | Baseball

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

WINTER HAVEN, Flor. -- Bowling Green baseball opened up its stay in Winter Haven, Flor. playing the Xavier Musketeers on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons engaged in their second extra-inning game and fell in walk-off fashion for the third time this year in a 7-6 loss that went ten innings and ended on an unconventional play at the plate.

Final -- 10 innings
	R	H	E
Bowling Green	6	14	4
Xavier	7	16	1

Box score (.html) | Updated statistics (html)

Tied 6-6 heading into the bottom of the tenth inning, freshman Ben Singer (Midland, Mich.) entered in relief for Michel Frank (Maumee, Ohio). Singer started strong striking out the leadoff hitter Brian Bryening. After allowing a single and then forcing a groundout to third base, Singer intentionally walked Ryan Bellamy to put the Falcons in position to earn a force out at any base. With two outs, the Musketeers' Patrick Paligraf was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Getting ahead of Selby Chidemo, Singer tossed a 1-2 curveball that landed in the dirt. The pitch caught Chidemo swinging but BGSU catcher Matt Vannett (Bowling Green, Ohio) was unable to corral the pitch. Vannett raced to scoop up the loose ball and tag home plate for the force out, however, the home plate umpire ruled that Vannett had missed the plate and Patrick Jones scored the game-winning run for Xavier.

Bowling Green had been down 4-2 heading into the ninth inning and scored four runs to take a two-run lead. The Falcons roughed up new reliever Seth Willoughby for four runs on three hits in the frame. With the bases full of Falcons, Patrick Martin (Oregon, Ohio) pushed two across the dish with a single to left field, scoring Jon Berti (Troy, Mich.) and Logan Walker (Richmond, Vir.). Clay Duncan (Norwalk, Ohio) followed with a RBI single to center field and Ryan Schlater (St. Paris, Ohio) added a run with a sacrifice fly to score Martin from third base.

Xavier returned fire with two runs in the bottom half to tie the game at six runs. Frank allowed the first two Muskateer runners to reach base and then advance to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. An error by Berry at third base allowed one run to score and another ground out to the left side allowed the second run of the inning to score, tying the game.

Cody Apthorpe (Windham, Ohio) tossed five innings, allowed three runs (two earned) with three strike outs in the no-decision. Frank followed with four innings. He struck out five and allowed three unearned runs. Singer (0-2) earned the loss .

After missing his previous two games, Jon Berti went 3-for-4 with a run scored on the day. Both Patrick Martin and Clay Duncan finished with a pair of runs batted in and Matt Pitzulo (Poland, Ohio) was one of four Falcons with multiple hits on the day with his three.

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.