Bowling Green Crushes Wright State 13-1 In Season Opener

Friday, February 10

Auburn, Ala.

11:00 a.m.

Bowling Green State University

Wright State University

February 10, 2012 | Softball

By: John Enright-Athletic Communications

BOXSCORE

AUBURN, Ala. -- The Bowling Green State University softball team opened the 2012 season with a decisive 13-1 victory against Wright State Friday morning, marking the team's first victory in a season opening game since 2009. Junior Paige Berger led all Falcons with four RBI in the contest, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. Freshman Paris Imholz secured her first career victory on the mound for Bowling Green, allowing just one un-earned run on three hits in five innings of work. Imholz registered three strike outs and allowed just one walk.

The Falcons opened the game with three-straight singles, with junior Hannah Fulk scoring the first run of the game and season on Berger's single to left field. A Wright State throwing error allowed senior Rachel Proehl to score from third on the next at-bat, while also moving Berger to third. Berger scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball, giving the Falcons the early 3-0 lead after one inning of play.

Bowling Green continued to press Wright State in the second inning, as Berger highlighted the frame with a three-run home run to right field. The three run shot marked Berger's first of the season, and gave Bowling Green the 6-0 lead heading into the third inning.

The runs kept coming for the Falcons, as Bowling Green added two more scores in the third inning. Freshman Chloe Giordano doubled to left field with one out for her first career hit, before advancing to third on another passed ball. After another out, Fulk singled to bring Giordano home, and pushed the score to 7-0. Proehl added a triple to bring home Fulk, and increase the Falcon lead to 8-0 before the end of the third inning.

A Wright State pitching change led to the biggest inning of the morning for the Falcons, as Bowling Green went on to score five runs in the fourth inning. The frame was highlighted by another three-run Falcon homer, as sophomore Katie Yoho hit her first home run of the season, and third of her career. Bowling Green would add two more in the frame, pushing the score to 13-0.

Wright State finally put a run on the board in the fifth inning, but that was all the Raiders could muster, giving Bowling Green the lopsided 13-1 victory.

“I am really pleased with the intensity the team had from pitch one,” said head coach Shannon Salsburg. “The hitters attacked throughout the game, which really set the tone. Paris (Imholz) did an outstanding job in her first collegiate start; she stayed within herself and allowed her defense to go their job.”

The Falcons improve to 9-3 lifetime against Wright State, snapping a two-game losing streak to the Raiders dating back to 2009.

Berger's home run gives her 24 in her career, just two behind Gina Rango (2003-06) for second all-time on the Bowling Green career home run list.

The Falcons only scored 13 runs or more once last season, a 14-0 win against Detroit (4/20/11) at home.

Bowling Green plays host school Auburn today at 4 p.m.