Falcons Drop Series Finale At Murray State

Sunday, February 23

Murray, KY

1:00 p.m. CT

Bowling Green State University

2-4

Murray State University

4-2

Bowling Green

Murray State

February 23, 2014 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Box Score

MURRAY, Ky.—The Bowling Green State University baseball team lost 6-3 on Sunday to Murray State, despite recording 10 hits in the game. However, the Falcons would miss several opportunities, stranding 10 runners on base. With the loss, Bowling Green drops to 2-4 on the young season.

Andrew Lacinak got the start on the mound for the Falcons, tossing five innings of one-run baseball. When he left the game, the Falcons and Breds were tied at one.

The Falcons would miss an opportunity in the top of the first, as they got two runners on but could not capitalize. Brian Bien led off the game with a hit-by-pitch. He would be retired on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Patrick Lancaster, but Lancaster would reach first safely on the play. With two outs, Lancaster would steal second to move into scoring position. T.J. Losby would reach on an infield single, advancing Lancaster to third on the play. The two runners would be stranded on the corners, though, to end the inning.

Murray State would capitalize on the Falcons' missed opportunity, taking the lead in the bottom of the first. The first batter of the game would single on an 0-2 pitch, and he would move to second on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter would foul out to Losby at first for the second out of the inning. The following Thoroughbreds' batter would draw a walk, giving MSU two runners on with two outs in the inning. An RBI single up the middle by the next hitter would put Murray State ahead 1-0, but they would leave the bases loaded in the inning.

The first two Falcons would reach in the top of the second. Andrew Kubuski led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield, and Trey Keegan would reach when nobody covered first on his attempted sacrifice bunt. After a failed sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning, Jesse Rait would come up and drop one in front of the right fielder. He would reach first, but Keegan would be out at second (9-6), so Rait was credited with just a fielder's choice. With two outs, Brian Bien would get the Falcons on the board, as he would beat out an infield single to score Kubuski.

That would be the extent of the scoring until the bottom of the seventh, when Murray State would surge ahead with four runs. With reliever Ben Singer on the mound, the Breds would get a one-out double to put a runner in scoring position. A walk and a flyout would leave MSU with two on and two outs in the inning, with the game still tied 1-1. The next batter would single up the middle to give Murray State a 2-1 lead, and they would load the bases with a two-out walk. MSU designated hitter Tyler Lawrence would then clear the bases with a three-RBI double down the left field line, putting Murray State ahead 5-1 after seven innings.

Bowling Green would respond with two runs of their own in the top of the eighth, but would once again leave runners on base with an opportunity to close the gap even further. Losby began the inning with a single to right. Logan Walker would reach base when Murray State's left fielder, Ty Stetson, dropped the fly ball. After a Kubuski fielder's choice, the Falcons had runners on the corners with one out. Murray State would go to the bullpen for John Lollar, and he would get the first Falcon he faced on strikes for the second out of the inning. Greg Basalyga would single home Losby - Basalyga's first career RBI - to close the gap to 5-2. Rait would then single to score Kubuski, and the Falcons trailed just 5-3.

The Breds would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, charged to relief pitcher Chris Miller. After recording the first out of the inning, MSU would have three consecutive batters reach with a single, single, and walk. An infield single with two outs would bring home Murray State's sixth run of the game, and that would be all they would need to hang on for the win.

The Falcons will travel to Dayton on Tuesday afternoon, before heading to Atlanta for a three-game set at Georgia Tech next weekend.

Notes
*The 22 runs allowed through the first six games of the season are the fewest a Falcon pitching staff has allowed since 2006. The 2006 pitching staff also allowed just 22 runs through the first six games of the season.

*T.J. Losby played in his 115th consecutive game for the Falcons on Sunday.

*Brian Bien extended his on-base streak to nine games with a first inning HBP.

*Patrick Lancaster extended his on-base streak to 10 straight games on Sunday, but his eight-game hitting streak came to an end.

*Andrew Kubuski extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-for-4 day on Sunday.

*Ben Singer's second appearance of the season was the 69th of his career. He is now tied for 8th-most appearances in school history.

*Greg Basalyga recorded his first career RBI with an RBI single in the eighth inning.

*Jeremy Shay's streak of 19 consecutive games reaching base came to an end on Sunday afternoon.