Falcons Earn Split With Miami In Friday Doubleheader

Friday, May 4

Oxford, Ohio.

3:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Miami University

May 04, 2012 | Softball

By: John Enright-Athletic Communications

Game 1 - Boxscore | Game 2 - Boxscore

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio. The Bowling Green State University softball team split with Miami Friday afternoon, losing the first game 3-2, before defeating the RedHawks 3-1 in the second contest.

Juniors Andrea Arney, Paige Berger and Hannah Fulk all earned two hits in the first game, with Fulk earning the lone Falcon RBI with a solo home run. Freshman Jamie Kertes (16-10) pitched the first two innings of game one, allowing three earned runs on six hits for the loss. Freshman Paris Imholz pitched the final four innings, allowing zero runs on four hits.

The Falcons got on the board first, scoring two runs on three hits in the top of the opening frame to take the early lead.

Fulk opened the game with her team leading 11^th home run of the season, sending a shot to left field to give Bowling Green the 1-0 advantage. The Falcons followed up with two singles, before both runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. In the next at-bat, the ball got away from the Miami catcher on the third strike call, forcing her to throw to first base for the out. Berger read the play, and charged home from third on the throw to first to give Bowling Green the 2-0 lead.

Miami responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first, crossing home plate one time on three hits.
The RedHawks scored the final two runs of the contest in the bottom of third on three hits to take the 3-2 lead. The Falcons were unable to rally, giving Miami the victory in game one.

Bowling Green rebounded in the second game, earning a 3-1 victory over Miami in the second half of the doubleheader.
Berger led the Falcons in hits, going 3-for-4 with a double, while Fulk hit her second home run of the afternoon in a 2-for-3 effort in game two. Imholz (17-8) earned the complete game win, striking out one and allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work.

The Falcons once again drew first blood, scoring two runs on three hits in the top half of the first inning. Fulk led off the game with another home run, belting her 12th homer of the season to left center field. Senior Rachel Proehl followed the homer with a single in the next at bat, eventually moving to second on a wild pitch. Arney singled to left center in the next at-bat, bringing Proehl home for the 2-0 Bowling Green lead.

Miami responded in the bottom half of the first, scoring one run on two hits to cut the Bowling Green lead to 2-1.

After a brief rain delay, the Falcons came out swinging in the top of the fifth, scoring an insurance run on one hit in the frame. Fulk led the inning off with a walk, before being moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch moved Fulk to third in the next at-bat, before Berger singled her home the third Falcon run of the day.

Imholz was solid for the remainder of the contest, securing the 3-1 victory for Bowling Green.

“We played hard today,” said head coach Shannon Salsburg. “Game one we simply left too many runners on base. Game two we saw all three of their pitchers and made great adjustments. Paris did a great job for us in both games and the defense behind her was outstanding.”

The win snapped an eight-game losing streak to the RedHawks, dating back to the 2008 campaign.

Fulk's two home runs give her 12 on the year, tying the Bowling Green record for home runs in a season, set by Berger two season ago (2010).

The Falcons' 15 conference wins set a new career best for coach Salsburg, whose previous high for conference wins in a season was 14.

Bowling Green (35-18, 15-5 MAC) is back in action tomorrow in an afternoon tilt against Ball State. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.