Falcons Hand Flashes First MAC Loss With 14 Inning Win

Friday, April 13

Bowling Green, Ohio

3:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

13-20, 3-7

Kent State University

19-14, 9-1

Kent State

Bowling Green

April 13, 2012 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Bowling Green State University baseball team defeated Kent State in the bottom of the 14^th inning, 6-5 on Friday afternoon. Drew Kuns collected the game-ending RBI, as he was hit by a pitch to give the Falcons the thrilling walk-off win. With the win, the Falcons improve to 13-20 overall and 3-7 in the MAC. The loss was the first in MAC play for Kent State, as they fell to 9-1 in MAC play.

The Falcons struggled offensively against last year's MAC pitcher-of-the-year, David Starn. Starn only allowed one unearned run in his seven innings, giving up just three hits.

The Falcons trailed 4-1 when Starn came out of the game after seven innings, and the Falcons would jump on the opportunity. The Falcons would rough up Kent State closer Casey Wilson for three runs on three hits before an out would be recorded, and the game was tied.

Brandon Howard got things started in the eighth with a single to right field. Jake Thomas would take a Casey Wilson fastball and drive it to deep center field for a triple, scoring Howard from second. The next batter, Logan Walker, drove a ball into the right centerfield gap, scoring Thomas to cut the deficit to one. After Kuns was hit by a pitch for the first time, Matt Pitzulo would reach on a fielder's choice for the game-tying RBI. The game would head into the ninth inning, tied at four.

After losing the last two Mid-American Conference games on walk-off hits last weekend, the Falcons would try to make it through the top of the ninth still tied so they could employ some magic of their own. Kent State, however, would tack on a run in the top of the ninth, giving them the one run lead as the Falcons came to bat in the bottom of the ninth.

Ryan Mace would come into the ballgame, looking to give the Golden Flashes the win, and himself the save. The Falcons had other thoughts, however, as T.J. Losby got the inning started with a base hit. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout would put Losby on third with two outs. Head coach Danny Schmitz would call for the pinch-hitter, Patrick Lancaster, with the game on the line. Lancaster would deliver, as he knocked the first pitch of the at-bat back up the middle to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Danny Schmitz would be forced to lift his designated hitter spot, as Pitzulo, who had been the DH, went into the game at second base in the top of the tenth. This would mean that the Falcon pitchers would be in the batting order the rest of the ballgame.

Nick Bruns and Patrick Martin would do their job out of the bullpen, keeping the Golden Flashes off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Nick Bruns came on in the top of the ninth, going four innings, allowing just three Kent State hits. Bruns would be pinch-hit for in the bottom of the twelfth.

With the score still tied at five, Patrick Martin came on to replace Tyler Wynn, who had pinch-hit for Bruns, in the top of the thirteenth. Martin would set the Flashes down in order in the top of the thirteenth inning. The Falcons would load the bases in the bottom of the thirteenth, but could not take advantage of the base runners, as Kent State would keep the game tied at five.

Martin would retire the Flashes in the fourteenth, and the Falcons would get another chance to win the ballgame in the home half of the inning.

Brian Bien led off the inning with an infield bunt single. He would hustle into second after Sawyer Polen's throw was up the line, and got away from the KSU first baseman. Patrick Martin, a former outfielder for the Falcons, would stay in the ballgame, as he would lay down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to third. The sacrifice bunt came in Martin's first plate appearance of the season.

The game would become a chess match from that point forward, as the Falcons had the winning run on third with just one out. Kent State skipper Scott Stricklin would choose to intentionally walk the next two Falcons, which would load the bases for redshirt sophomore, Drew Kuns.

Stricklin would bring center fielder, Evan Campbell, into the infield to try to keep the Falcons from scoring. Campbell was placed between the shortstop and third baseman, giving KSU five infielders and just two outfielders.

After working the count to 3-2, Kuns was hit by the pitch, ending the ballgame, and giving the Falcons the thrilling 6-5 win in 14 innings.

The two teams will continue their series tomorrow afternoon at 1 pm from Steller Field. With the win, the Falcons improve to 7-1 at home on the year, 13-20 overall and 3-7 in the MAC. Kent State falls to 11-11 on the road, 19-14 overall and 9-1 in the MAC.