Softball Wins Slugfest With Akron, 7-6

Sunday, April 1

Akron, Ohio.

1:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

University of Akron

Photo by: Doug Sampson

April 01, 2012 | Softball

By: John Enright-Athletic Communications

BOXSCORE

AKRON, Ohio. -- The Bowling Green State University softball team defeated Akron Sunday afternoon, dropping the Zips by a score of 7-6. Junior Andrea Arney was the offensive star for Bowling Green, going 2-for-4 with a grand slam, and five RBI. Freshman Paris Imholz (8-5) picked up the win, allowing five earned runs and nine hits in 5.1 innings of work.

Similar to the rest of the Falcons' season, Bowling Green got on the board early, putting up four runs on three hits in the opening inning. Junior Hannah Fulk walked in the games first at bat, followed by a bunt single from senior Melissa West. Junior Paige Berger drew another walk, loading the bases for Arney. The Navarre, Ohio native came to the plate, and belted her first career grand slam to give Bowling Green the 4-0 lead.

Akron broke their scoring drought in the bottom of the second, scoring a run on one hit to cut the Bowling Green lead to 4-1.

The Falcons continued to swing the bats, scoring two more runs on two hits in the top of the third inning. Berger opened the inning with a single to center field, before Arney belted a double to left field. Berger scored on the play, while Arney advanced to third on the throw. Freshman Shelby Fink grounded out to the shortstop in the next at bat, bringing Arney home, and pushing the Falcon lead to 6-1.

The Zips chipped away at the Falcon lead over the next two innings, scoring two more runs to put the score at 6-3 in favor of Bowling Green.

The Falcons added what would be the game-winning run in the top of the sixth, needing just one hit in the frame. Fulk tripled with one out, before Berger walked to put two on the base paths. Bowling Green committed a double steal in the next at bat, bringing Fulk home for a team best 27^th time this season.

Bowling Green needed every run headed into the bottom of the sixth, as Akron scored three runs on five hits in the inning. The Falcons used three pitchers in the inning, ending with freshman Jamie Kertes, who came in and secured the final two outs of the frame. Kertes held the Zips off the board for the remainder of the contest, limiting Akron to only one hit in the seventh inning, securing the 7-6 victory for Bowling Green.

"I am proud of the team's start in the MAC," said head coach Shannon Salsburg. "Every game matters and to be able to finish a tough game today was an important step for us. Today truly stressed the importance of every single person on the team."

Arney's first career grand slam marks the first Bowling Green grand slam since March 8, 2011, when Adrienne Dick hit one in a 7-5 loss to Middle Tennessee State.

Fulk's walk in the contest extends her streak to six games, setting a new season high.

Bowling Green (18-11, 3-1) is back in action this Wednesday, facing off against Valparaiso in their first home contest of the season. The first game of the doubleheader starts at 3 p.m.