Falcons Explode For 12 Hits As Softball Defeats Northern Colorado, 6-2

Friday, February 21

Oxford, Miss.

11:15 A.M. CT

Bowling Green State University

2-10

Northern Colorado

2-6-1

Northern Colorado

Bowling Green

Erika Stratton went 3-for-4 with two RBI in game one.

Falcons Explode For 12 Hits As Softball Defeats Northern Colorado, 6-2

February 21, 2014 | Softball

Box Score

Braiden Dillow struck out a career-high six batters during the win.

By: by Jake Dorow, Athletic Communications

Northern Colorado 2, BGSU 6 (Boxscore)

OXFORD, Miss – The Bowling Green State University softball team exploded for a season-high 12 hits, including at least one hit in every inning, as the Falcons (2-6-1) defeated the University of Northern Colorado, 6-2, in game one at the Red and Blue Classic.

After starting the year with five consecutive losses, Bowling Green have gone 2-1-1 since, scoring 17 runs and totaling 32 hits for a .265 batting average for their best stretch of the early 2014 season.

Sophomore pitcher Braiden Dillow (2-2) started in the circle for the Falcons, allowing one earned run and struck out a career-high six batters in 6.1 innings of work for a gutsy performance. Seven Falcons totaled at least one hit in the game, as Chelsea Raker (3-for-4 with a home run), Erika Stratton (3-for-4, two RBI), and Aspen Searle (2-for-3) led the Orange and Brown offensively.

"It was a strong start to the tournament," softball head coach Shannon Salsburg said. "We played solid in all three phases and most importantly attack."

The Falcons trailed 1-0 after three innings of play, but got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning to end the scoreless drought. Yoho opened the inning with a leadoff single up the middle and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Searle moved Yoho over to third base with a sacrifice bunt, Trista Mokienko drove in her first RBI of her collegiate career with a single to left field, scoring Yoho from third base to tie the game at 1-1.

The hit was Mokienko's first collegiate hit of her career.

After Dillow pitched out of a fifth inning jam, the Orange and Brown bats stayed hot. After the Bears got two quick outs, Raker stepped to the plate and hit her third homer of the season to center field, handing Bowling Green a 2-1 lead.

After Dillow pitched scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth innings, the Falcons' offense exploded for a season-high four runs in the bottom of the sixth, extending their lead to a 6-1. The Orange and Brown were able to get runners on first and third with one out before freshman Sami Parave hit a double to score both runners, handing the Falcons a 4-1 lead.

The red-hot bats continued at the plate in the inning, as BGSU's Stratton singled up the middle with bases loaded to score two more runs, handing the Falcons a 6-1 lead entering the top of the seventh.

On the year, Stratton leads the team offensively with 10 hits, seven RBI and a .417 batting average in nine games.

"We look forward to our next challenge against Ole Miss," Salsburg said.

Bowling Green will be back in action later this evening, taking on host Ole Miss at 6 p.m. CST at the Ole Miss Softball Complex for game two of their doubleheader.