Falcons' Season Comes to a Close with Day Two Loss to NIU

Thursday, May 26

Chillicothe, Ohio

12:30 pm

Bowling Green State University

Northern Illinois

May 26, 2011 | Baseball

Bowling Green closes the 2011 season with a loss to NIU in Day Two of the MAC Tournament.

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- Excitement and drama were once again present in a game in which Bowling Green trailed heading into their last at bat. Unfortunately, the result was the same with the Brown and Orange ending up on the losing end at the conclusion of the game. The Falcons fought to the bitter end but fell short of a victory in a 4-2 loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies, eliminating them from the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament.

May 26, 2011 -- Final
	R	H	E
Northern Illinois	4	8	0
Bowling Green	2	5	0

Box score (.html) | Box score (.pdf) | Play by play (.pdf) | Final season statistics (.html) | Photo gallery -- click here

Behind two runs in the last of the ninth the Falcons had runners on first and second with no outs on star NIU closer, Kyle Glancy. Glancy allowed a single to Matt Pitzulo (Poland, Ohio) and walked Jeremy Shay (Garden City, Mich.) to put runners on and allow the winning run come to the plate in the form of Clay Duncan (Norwalk, Ohio). Following a pair of pinch-running substitutions, the senior tri-captain worked the count to 2-2 before picking his pitch. Duncan hit a ground ball to the right side that resulted in a 4-6-3 double play, bringing them within one out of their season's end.

Fellow senior Ryan Schlater (St. Paris, Ohio) had the chance to be a hero and extend the game, representing the tying run at the plate. Schlater wasted no time in attacking Glancy swinging at a 1-0 offering but popped it up into right field to be caught for the final out.

Northern Illinois scored three runs in the third inning to take a lead they did not relinquish. The Huskies loaded the bases with a trio of singles and running station to station. Joe Etcheverry roped a two-RBI single into right field to open the day's scoring. Two batters later, Jeff Zimmerman laced another single that allowed an additional run to score.

The Falcons made run to close the gap with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Singles by Clay Duncan and Ryan Schlater put runners on the corners and with one out, Andrew Kubuski grounded out to third base, allowing Duncan to score from third. Schlater advanced to second on the play. #T.J. Losby# (Bryan, Ohio) followed up with a solid single to center field, driving home Schlater and cutting the lead to one run.

The Huskies responded in the top of the sixth when Zimmerman led the inning off with a solo home run over the left field wall of VA Memorial Stadium. With the home run, NIU regained their two-run lead pushing the score to 4-2 in favor of the Huskies.

The Huskie home run ended BGSU starter Charles Wooten's (Elmore, Ohio) day after a five-inning outing. The senior left the field allowing four runs on six hits and registering a pair of walks and strike outs. Mike Frank (Maumee, Ohio) relieved Wooten and threw four strong inning of relief, striking out four Huskies and allowing just two hits. After allowing a single to the first batter he faced, he retired 11 of the next 12 hitters.

The Bowling Green offense struggled Thursday, registering only five hits. They were retired in order in each of the first four innings and again in both the sixth and seventh innings. Each of the five hits the Falcons had were recorded by a different Falcon.

The loss brings an end to the Falcons season with a 20-31 overall record. They had entered the MAC Tournament with an 11-14 conference record and as the eight-seed in the MAC Tournament. The group saw two members of the team named to the All-MAC squad, Clay Duncan to the second team and Jon Berti to the first team. Five seniors ended their Falcon careers; Clay Duncan, Frank Berry (Virginia Beach, Va.), Dan Parsons (Strongsville, Ohio), Ryan Schlater and Charles Wooten.

Continue to follow 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.