Baseball Downed By Western Michigan Friday

Friday, March 22

Bowling Green, Ohio

3:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

4-13, 0-1

Western Michigan University

5-15, 1-0

Western Michigan

Bowling Green

March 22, 2013 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Box Score | Photo Gallery

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University baseball team jumped out to a first inning lead on Friday afternoon, but would eventually fall to Western Michigan by a final score of 13-6. The game was the home opener for the Falcons at Warren E. Steller Field. With the win the Broncos improve to 5-15 (1-0 MAC) on the season, while the Falcons drop to 4-13 (0-1 MAC).

The Falcons jumped on Western Michigan starter Mike Moyer early, tagging him for three runs in the bottom of the first. Brandon Howard started the inning off by getting on base via a hit by pitch. After a wild pitch advanced him to second, Patrick Lancaster would move him to third with a ground out to the right side. The very next batter, T.J. Losby, would hit a triple off the left-center field fence to put the Falcons ahead 1-0. Jeremy Shay jumped on a pitch he liked from Moyer in the next at bat, hitting it over the fence to left-center field for a two-run home run. Before the Broncos could blink, BGSU led 3-0.

Western Michigan would chip into the lead in the top of the second, collecting three hits, including a key two-out single to push a run across.

Moyer would settle in for the Broncos from the second inning on, as he retired the Orange and Brown in order in the second.

WMU took the lead for good in the top of the third, knocking three hits for three runs in the inning. Once again, the Broncos would use a good two-out approach, as the final two runs would score on a two-out single by Hunter Prince. WMU would extend the lead in the fourth, adding two runs to increase the margin to three, at 6-3.

The Falcons would get some help from the sun—which was shining brightly on Friday afternoon—in the bottom of the fifth. Brian Bien would hit a fly ball to center field to begin the inning, but the WMU defender would lose it in the sun, allowing Bien to slide into second for a leadoff double. Lancaster would drive Bien in with a double on the next pitch, as the Falcons climbed within 6-4.

The story of the day for Bowling Green would be missed opportunities, as the Falcons left 11 runners on base for the game.

Although they would threaten in the sixth, BGSU would strand the bases loaded with a golden opportunity to take the lead.

With the bases loaded and just one out, WMU turned to the bullpen for RHP Pat Haynes. Haynes would get a pop out and a strikeout to end the inning and maintain a two-run lead for the Broncos.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Falcons would load the bases to begin the inning, but could only manage to get one run across in the frame, once again stranding three ducks on the pond.

After the Falcons failed to take advantage of a few great chances in the sixth and seventh innings, WMU pounced, scoring seven runs over the final two innings.

The Falcons would add an RBI single from Matt Smith in the bottom of the ninth, but Western Michigan would close out the victory.

The two teams will meet at Steller Field again on Saturday, with first pitch expected to be at 1 p.m.