Falcons Unable To Find Offensive Rhythm In Losses To Eastern Michigan

Friday, April 8

Ypsilanti, Mich.

2:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

Eastern Michigan

Falcons Unable To Find Offensive Rhythm In Losses To Eastern Michigan

April 08, 2011 | Softball

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Game 1 Boxscore - Eastern Michigan 1, Bowling Green 0
Game 2 Boxscore - Eastern Michigan 4, Bowling Green 1

Ypsilanti, Mich. – The Bowling Green softball team got a strong outing in the pitching circle from Zada Lines but the Falcons continued to struggle offensively, losing to Eastern Michigan 1-0 and 4-1.

In six conference games, Bowling Green is yet to score more than two runs and the Falcons had just nine hits in two games combined Friday afternoon.

In the opening game, Lines escaped a second-inning jam after Eastern Michigan put runners on first and third with just one out. She got a fly out and a ground out as the game remained scoreless.

In the third inning, she tried to wriggle out of another Eastern Michigan scoring threat but the Eagles were able to push across the only run of the contest. After a leadoff double, the Eagles used a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third with only one out. Lines got the next batter to pop out but a two-out single drove the runner home.

Lines settled down after that, giving up just one hit in the final three innings. Bowling Green, on the other hand, had two runners on in the fourth, a runner in scoring position in the sixth, and another base runner in the seventh. But the Falcons were never able to get the clutch hit to score the tie run.

Lines ended up with the complete game, giving up six hits over six innings without a walk or a strikeout. Paige Berger, Andrea Arney, and Katie Yoho each had singles for the Falcons.

Melissa Bott took over on the mound in game two and she held Eastern Michigan scoreless through four innings. However, in the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles got a one-out triple and followed that with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.

Bowling Green answered right back in the top of the sixth as Hannah Fulk doubled down the left field line with one out and Rachel Proehl reached on an error that put runners on the corners. The Falcons attempted a double steal and Proehl was thrown out at second but Fulk scored to tie the game.

In the bottom of the sixth, Eastern Michigan blew it open with a three-run rally. A one out RBI single, a double steal which scored a run, and a two-out RBI single pushed across the winning tallies.

Six Bowling Green players had hits in the second game and Fulk and Berger each doubled.

Eastern Michigan improved to 17-7 overall and 4-2 in league play while Bowling Green fell to 4-19 overall and 0-6 in conference. With a schedule change, the Falcons will play a doubleheader Saturday at Central Michigan beginning at 2 p.m.