Raker Powers Falcons Past Zips, 4-1, To Earn Split

Friday, April 11

Akron, Ohio

2 P.M.

Bowling Green State University

15-19-1, 0

Akron

17-9, 0

Bowling Green

Akron

Chelsea Raker (pictured) went deep, twice, to help the Falcons earn a split with Akron.

April 11, 2014 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Falcons remained .500 in Mid-American Conference play with split.

By: by Jake Dorow, Athletic Communications

BOXSCORE (HTML): Game 1 | Game 2

AKRON, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University softball team stayed at .500 in Mid-American Conference play after defeating the University of Akron in the second game of its doubleheader on Friday (April 11) afternoon. Behind two home runs from freshman Chelsea Raker in game two, the Falcons (16-19-1, 4-4 MAC) defeated the Zips (17-10, 3-3 MAC) by a score of 4-1. Earlier in the day, the Orange and Brown lost to Akron by an identical score of 4-1.

Playing at Lee. R Jackson Field, Bowling Green plated four runs on nine hits behind a courageous efforts from Raker and sophomore pitcher Braiden Dillow. Offensively, the Falcons were led by Raker (3-for-4, four RBI), freshman Aspen Searle (3-for-4), and senior Erika Stratton (2-for-4, one run). The three Falcons combined for eight of the team's nine hits in the game, while freshman Madison Schrock added a single in the contest.

With Searle's three hits in the game, the freshman extended her hitting streak to five games (.421 batting average). Raker, meanwhile, recorded her second four RBI game over the past five games to add to a team-leading 22 RBI on the season.

Dillow (6-5), who recorded her first collegiate complete game against North Dakota last Monday, tossed her second-straight complete game, working all seven innings in the circle. The Lucasville, Ohio native surrendered just four hits and allowed one earned run in the winning effort.

Tied at 0-0 after the first frame, Raker went deep over the right field fence to score the game's first run. Meanwhile, Dillow blanked the Zips over the first five innings, allowing just one hit. The sophomore pitcher rolled along by not allowing a single hit over four-straight innings.

Leading by a single run after the fourth inning, Raker once again went deep to extend BGSU's lead to 4-0. The freshman hit a two-out three-run homer to center field for her second home run of the game to give her a new career-high two homers in a single game.

GAME ONE: Bowling Green 1, Akron 4
In game one, Searle's game-tying solo home run in the top of the sixth inning wasn't enough, as the Falcons dropped the first game of the twin bill. Searle's solo homer was one of two hits in the game for the Orange and Brown, as senior Katie Yoho (1-for-3) recorded her team-leading 36th hit of the season in the losing effort.

Searle, who entered the game on a three-game hitting streak, hit her third home run of the season for her 11 RBI of the season. With the home run, the Brantford, Ontario native extended her hitting streak to four games and has went deep in two consecutive games.

Junior Jamie Kertes (10-14), who made her 34th appearance of the season in the circle, got the call to start and was credited with a tough loss. Kertes worked 5.1 innings and surrendered eight hits for two earned runs. The Carnegie, Pa. native struck out five Zip batters in the game.

Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the sixth, the Orange and Brown received timely hitting when they needed it most. Searle hit a one-out homer over the center field fence to knot the game at 1-1. Over her last four games, Searle has gone 5-for-13 (.384) with four RBI and two home runs.

However, Akron zipped back and scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull away and eventually defeat the Falcons in game one.

The Falcons will turn around and take on Ohio University in Athens, Ohio on Saturday (April 12) evening. Bowling Green will continue its MAC-filled action weekend with single games against the Bobcats, with the first pitch scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Ohio Softball Field.