Berger's Walk-Off Homer Propels Falcons To Split

Friday, May 6

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

Ohio

May 06, 2011 | Softball

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

Game 1 Boxscore - Ohio 4, Bowling Green 2
Game 2 Boxscore - Bowling Green 4, Ohio 1
Photo Gallery

Bowling Green, Ohio – Paige Berger's apparent game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh of the first game of Friday's softball doubleheader between Bowling Green and Ohio was waved off by the officiating crew. When she got a second chance in game two, she made sure it was a no-doubter. Berger's three-run blast in the bottom of the seventh helped the Falcons win game two 4-1 after losing the opener 4-2 at Meserve Softball Field.

With Ohio leading Bowling Green 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Rachel Proehl reached on a single up the middle to bring Berger to the plate as the potential tie run. She had already driven a solo homer to right field in the bottom of the fifth. Berger stroked an 0-2 pitch down the left field line that appeared to ring off the foul pole to tie the score. But the third base official ruled that the ball had hit the wall instead and Proehl, who was rounding third in the confusion, was tagged out for the third out. The officials conferred and stuck with the initial ruling to give the Bobcats the victory.

Melissa Bott pitched a strong game for the Falcons in the circle, going all seven innings and allowing nine hits and one walk. She gave up just two earned runs and was credited with the loss. Berger finished 4-for-4 in the game, the first four-hit game of her career.

In the second game, Ohio's Emily Wethington and Bowling Green's Zada Lines locked horns in a pitcher's duel. The Bobcats scored an unearned run in the third inning when Jillian Van Wagnen reached on an error and eventually scored on Wethington's single to left field. But other than that, neither team was able to put a dent in the scoreboard.

The Falcons went to the bottom of the seventh needing a run to tie the score and Missy Bowman got things started with an infield single. With one out, Lindsay Arney had a bunt single but Hannah Fulk's grounder to third left Bowling Green with runners on first and second with two outs. Proehl slapped the first pitch into centerfield to tie the game at 1-1, giving Berger a second chance to be the hero.

With a full count, Berger hammered a pitch over the right centerfield wall to drive in three runs for the 4-1 win. It was Berger's 10th home run of the season.

Lines improved to 6-8 on the year by going all seven innings and scattering seven hits and two walks. She had a season-high nine strikeouts and threw 74 of her 108 pitches for strikes. Proehl and Lindsay Arney each went 2-for-3 in the game.