Bowling Green State University Athletics
Friday, April 8
Ypsilanti, Mich.
2:00 pm
Bowling Green State University
at
Eastern Michigan
Falcons Look For Masterful Weekend In Michigan
April 07, 2011 | Softball
Following a tough start to Mid-American Conference play, the BGSU softball team will look to get back into the race by playing four road conference games this weekend. The Falcons will play at Eastern Michigan for a doubleheader Friday before single games at Central Michigan on Saturday and Sunday.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For Friday's games at Eastern Michigan, the Eagles will provide live stats and live video. For Saturday's and Sunday's games at Central Michigan, the Chippewas are providing live stats, live audio, and live video. Links can be found on the BGSU softball page at BGSUFalcons.com.
THE COMPETITION
Bowling Green opens the weekend at Eastern Michigan and the Eagles are 15-7 overall and 2-2 in MAC play after splitting doubleheaders with both Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. The Falcon pitching staff will be tested as Eastern Michigan leads the league with 21 homers and a .477 slugging percentage, while ranking second with a .315 batting average. McKenna Russ leads the MAC with a .481 batting average and Stacie Skodinski is second at .446. Those two have also combined for 14 homers. On the mound, Jenna Ignowski has been strong all year and is 9-3 with a 1.47 ERA.
Central Michigan enters the weekend at 16-12 overall and 1-3 in MAC play, splitting with Western Michigan and dropping two games against Northern Illinois. The Chippewas have the top pitching staff in the league with a 2.32 ERA and Kara Dornbos leads the MAC with a 1.25 ERA. Kari Seddon is not far behind with a 2.30 ERA. Offensively, Central Michigan tends to play small ball, ranking third in the conference with 41 stolen bases and leading the MAC with 31 sacrifice bunts.
SHAKING OUT THE MAC
With an 0-4 start, Bowling Green has some work to do to get back into position to be one of eight teams to advance to the MAC Tournament. Currently, the Falcons are two games behind four teams tied for fifth in the league at 2-2 (Miami, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan). It is early, however, and the Falcons still play all four of those teams so BGSU can get things turned around.
GOTTA HAVE GLOVE
Bowling Green's .965 fielding percentage ranks fifth in the MAC and the Falcons would be much higher if not for the five-error game to close out last weekend against Buffalo. Outside of that contest, BGSU's defense has been strong as the team has turned five double plays (fifth in the league) and thrown out 11 would-be base stealers (tied for fourth in the conference). Prior to that contest, Bowling Green had not committed more than two errors in a game all year and had only done that four times. The Falcons have nine errorless games this year.
TOUGH LUCK FOR BOTT
Senior pitcher Melissa Bott pitched well in the conference openers during the past week but still went 0-2 on the weekend. She had a 1.91 ERA in 14.2 innings but the defense surrendered eight unearned runs in her three appearances. She ranks eighth in the MAC in ERA in conference games only.
MAC RANKINGS
Listed below are Bowling Green's rankings in the MAC:
OVERALL STATS
Individual Stats (Top 10)
Triples – T1. Rachel Proehl, 2
Appearances – T8. Melissa Bott, 17
Team Stats (Top 5)
Fielding Percentage – 5. Bowling Green, .965
Triples – T2. Bowling Green, 3
Hits Allowed – T3. Bowling Green, 170
Runs Allowed – 5. Bowling Green, 115
Earned Runs Allowed – 5. Bowling Green, 93
Doubles Allowed – T4. Bowling Green, 28
Triples Allowed – T1. Bowling Green, 1
Home runs Allowed – T4. Bowling Green, 11
Fielding Double Plays – 5. Bowling Green, 5
Caught Stealing Opponents – T4. Bowling Green, 11
MAC ONLY STATS
Individual Stats (Top 10)
Batting Average – T4. Paige Berger, .565
Slugging Percentage – 9. Paige Berger, .818
ERA – 8. Melissa Bott, 1.91
Innings Pitched – T4. Melissa Bott, 14.2
Appearances – T5. Melissa Bott, 3
Complete Games – T2. Melissa Bott, 2
Opponents Batting Average – 9. Zada Lines, .259
Team Stats (Top 5)
None
ADDING TO THE LEGEND
Freshmen aren't usually legends but when a player breaks a program's single-season home run record in their first collegiate season, exceptions can be made. Paige Berger set the program record with 12 home runs as a freshman a year ago and she has added five more this year for a total of 17 in her career. That total places her fifth in school history and just one homer behind both Allison Vallas (18 home runs from 2005-08) and Susan Sontag (18 homers from 2007-10). Current pitching coach Hayley Wiemer holds the school record with 32 career homers from 2006-09.
FALCONS PICKED FOURTH IN MAC EAST
Bowling Green was picked to finish fourth in the MAC East Division in the preseason coach's poll. Miami was selected first, followed by Ohio and Kent State. After Bowling Green, Buffalo was picked fifth and Akron sixth. In the West Division, Ball State was selected to win the division, followed by Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.
NATIONAL RUNNER-UP
The Bowling Green softball team had the second-highest grade point average in NCAA Division I a year ago, with a 3.571 grade point average. The Falcons had 15 players honored as girls got game/NFCA Scholar Athletes for having at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, the second-most in the country.
FALCONS ADD FIVE
BGSU head coach Shannon Salsburg announced that five players have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Falcons in 2012. Shelby Fink (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut High School), Emily McClelland (Union Grove, Wisc./Union Grove High School), Chloe Giordano (White Plains, N.Y./School of the Holy Child), Jamie Kertes (Carnegie, Pa./Bishop Canevin High School), and Paris Imholz (Antioch, Calif./Antioch High School) are set to become Falcons next year.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For Friday's games at Eastern Michigan, the Eagles will provide live stats and live video. For Saturday's and Sunday's games at Central Michigan, the Chippewas are providing live stats, live audio, and live video. Links can be found on the BGSU softball page at BGSUFalcons.com.
THE COMPETITION
Bowling Green opens the weekend at Eastern Michigan and the Eagles are 15-7 overall and 2-2 in MAC play after splitting doubleheaders with both Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. The Falcon pitching staff will be tested as Eastern Michigan leads the league with 21 homers and a .477 slugging percentage, while ranking second with a .315 batting average. McKenna Russ leads the MAC with a .481 batting average and Stacie Skodinski is second at .446. Those two have also combined for 14 homers. On the mound, Jenna Ignowski has been strong all year and is 9-3 with a 1.47 ERA.
Central Michigan enters the weekend at 16-12 overall and 1-3 in MAC play, splitting with Western Michigan and dropping two games against Northern Illinois. The Chippewas have the top pitching staff in the league with a 2.32 ERA and Kara Dornbos leads the MAC with a 1.25 ERA. Kari Seddon is not far behind with a 2.30 ERA. Offensively, Central Michigan tends to play small ball, ranking third in the conference with 41 stolen bases and leading the MAC with 31 sacrifice bunts.
SHAKING OUT THE MAC
With an 0-4 start, Bowling Green has some work to do to get back into position to be one of eight teams to advance to the MAC Tournament. Currently, the Falcons are two games behind four teams tied for fifth in the league at 2-2 (Miami, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan). It is early, however, and the Falcons still play all four of those teams so BGSU can get things turned around.
GOTTA HAVE GLOVE
Bowling Green's .965 fielding percentage ranks fifth in the MAC and the Falcons would be much higher if not for the five-error game to close out last weekend against Buffalo. Outside of that contest, BGSU's defense has been strong as the team has turned five double plays (fifth in the league) and thrown out 11 would-be base stealers (tied for fourth in the conference). Prior to that contest, Bowling Green had not committed more than two errors in a game all year and had only done that four times. The Falcons have nine errorless games this year.
TOUGH LUCK FOR BOTT
Senior pitcher Melissa Bott pitched well in the conference openers during the past week but still went 0-2 on the weekend. She had a 1.91 ERA in 14.2 innings but the defense surrendered eight unearned runs in her three appearances. She ranks eighth in the MAC in ERA in conference games only.
MAC RANKINGS
Listed below are Bowling Green's rankings in the MAC:
OVERALL STATS
Individual Stats (Top 10)
Triples – T1. Rachel Proehl, 2
Appearances – T8. Melissa Bott, 17
Team Stats (Top 5)
Fielding Percentage – 5. Bowling Green, .965
Triples – T2. Bowling Green, 3
Hits Allowed – T3. Bowling Green, 170
Runs Allowed – 5. Bowling Green, 115
Earned Runs Allowed – 5. Bowling Green, 93
Doubles Allowed – T4. Bowling Green, 28
Triples Allowed – T1. Bowling Green, 1
Home runs Allowed – T4. Bowling Green, 11
Fielding Double Plays – 5. Bowling Green, 5
Caught Stealing Opponents – T4. Bowling Green, 11
MAC ONLY STATS
Individual Stats (Top 10)
Batting Average – T4. Paige Berger, .565
Slugging Percentage – 9. Paige Berger, .818
ERA – 8. Melissa Bott, 1.91
Innings Pitched – T4. Melissa Bott, 14.2
Appearances – T5. Melissa Bott, 3
Complete Games – T2. Melissa Bott, 2
Opponents Batting Average – 9. Zada Lines, .259
Team Stats (Top 5)
None
ADDING TO THE LEGEND
Freshmen aren't usually legends but when a player breaks a program's single-season home run record in their first collegiate season, exceptions can be made. Paige Berger set the program record with 12 home runs as a freshman a year ago and she has added five more this year for a total of 17 in her career. That total places her fifth in school history and just one homer behind both Allison Vallas (18 home runs from 2005-08) and Susan Sontag (18 homers from 2007-10). Current pitching coach Hayley Wiemer holds the school record with 32 career homers from 2006-09.
FALCONS PICKED FOURTH IN MAC EAST
Bowling Green was picked to finish fourth in the MAC East Division in the preseason coach's poll. Miami was selected first, followed by Ohio and Kent State. After Bowling Green, Buffalo was picked fifth and Akron sixth. In the West Division, Ball State was selected to win the division, followed by Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.
NATIONAL RUNNER-UP
The Bowling Green softball team had the second-highest grade point average in NCAA Division I a year ago, with a 3.571 grade point average. The Falcons had 15 players honored as girls got game/NFCA Scholar Athletes for having at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, the second-most in the country.
FALCONS ADD FIVE
BGSU head coach Shannon Salsburg announced that five players have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Falcons in 2012. Shelby Fink (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut High School), Emily McClelland (Union Grove, Wisc./Union Grove High School), Chloe Giordano (White Plains, N.Y./School of the Holy Child), Jamie Kertes (Carnegie, Pa./Bishop Canevin High School), and Paris Imholz (Antioch, Calif./Antioch High School) are set to become Falcons next year.
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