Falcons Earn Sweep Over Mount St. Mary’s

Friday, March 21

Baltimore, Mary.

2:30 P.M.

Bowling Green State University

7-13-1

Mt. St. Mary's

8-12-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bowling Green	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
Mount St. Mary's	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0

Erika Stratton batted .571 (4-for-7) on the day, including five RBI and a three-run homer.

March 21, 2014 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Falcons backed strong pitching from Jamie Kertes to earn a sweep over the Mount.

By: by Jake Dorow, Athletic Communications

BOXSCORES: Game 1 | Game 2

EMMITSBURG, Md. – The Bowling Green State University softball team earned a sweep over Mount Saint Mary's College on Friday (March 21) afternoon, defeating the Mount by scores of 1-0 and 9-5 in the twinbill at the Our Lady of the Meadows Field.

The Falcons (8-13-1) responded by a strong pitching effort in the circle by junior Jamie Kertes on the day by earning their first two-game sweep on the season. The Orange and Brown were paced offensively by Erika Stratton (4-for-7, five RBI), freshman Amanda Durham (4-for-7, two RBI) and Madison Schrock (2-for-5, two RBI). In all, eight different players totaled at least one hit in the day, with both Stratton and Durham leading the way with four apiece.

GAME ONE –Bowling Green 1, Mount St. Mary's 0
Kertes, who recorded a 0.78 ERA last weekend in Orlando, continued her hot pitching in the circle, tossing 7.0 innings and was three hits away from being perfect. Kertes (4-9) was credited with the win after a gutsy performance in the middle of the action throughout the entire game.

The Orange and Brown scored the game's only run in the top half of the first inning. After Mount St. Mary's recorded two quick outs, the Falcons next three batters all reached base, including a two-out RBI single down the right field line by Stratton to give BGSU an early 1-0 lead.

"I am proud of our fight today," Falcons head coach Shannon Salsburg said. "Jamie threw outstanding all day."

The slim margin proved to be all Kertes needed, as the Carnegie, Pa., native allowed only three hits throughout the entire game to keep the Mount off the scoreboard. During the seven innings of work, Kertes recorded five innings in which she retired the side, stopping any chance MTSM of crossing the plate.

GAME TWO –Mount St. Mary's 5, Bowling Green 9
The Orange and Brown used 11 hits for nine runs to carry them to a 9-5 victory over the Mount, capping off a first day sweep at the 11th Annual UMBC Spring Classic. Bowling Green scored in four of the seven innings, as six different Orange and Brown members totaled at least one hit in the game.

The Falcons were paced offensively by Durham (3-for-4, two RBI), Stratton (3-for-4, four RBI) and Katie Yoho (2-for-4, one RBI) in the game, as BGSU tied a season-high nine runs in the ballgame.

Bowling Green once again scored first for the second time on the day, crossing the plate twice in the bottom half of the first inning. The Falcons, who played as the home team in game two, got on the board with a pass ball to make the game 1-0. The Falcons continued their offensive attack with an RBI single to center field by Stratton to hand the Falcons a 2-0 lead.

A five-run second inning by Mount St. Mary's put them back in control of the game, but the Falcons showed resiliency throughout the game and tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Trailing 5-3 enter the fifth, the Orange and Brown scored two runs to tie the game at 5-5. After two quick outs, Stratton started the inning with a double to center field. Yoho, who batted a team-high .328 last week in Orlando, smashed an RBI single to left field to cut the Mount's lead to within 5-4. The offensive momentum continued as Yoho scored on an error to knot the game at 5-5.

The Falcons offensive onslaught continued in the sixth inning, exploding for four runs to push their lead to 9-5. The inning proved to be too much for the Mount, as the inning was highlighted by a three-run homer by Stratton to left field.

"We put ourselves in a hole in game two and I was proud of our fight to climb out and ultimately win," Salsburg said. "It takes a team effort to fight your way out and I couldn't be prouder."

The home run gave the senior her team-leading fourth long ball of the season, and now has accumulated a batting average of .300 (18-for-60), three doubles, four homers and a team-high 16 RBI in 22 games.

Meanwhile, Kertes was near perfect in 5.2 innings of relief work, earning her second-straight decision of the day. Kertes (5-9) was credited with the win after allowing one unearned run on six hits in the game. For the day, Kertes allowed nine hits, struck out six batters and allowed one unearned run in 12.2 innings of work.

Bowling Green will be back in action tomorrow morning, taking on Sacred Heart and UMBC in another doubleheader. The Falcons are scheduled to take on Sacred Heart at 9:15 a.m. and will conclude its tournament against host UMBC at 1:15 p.m.