Falcons Drop A Pair Of Non-Conference Road Games To IPFW

Wednesday, April 23

Fort Wayne, IN

3 P.M.

Bowling Green State University

20-24-1

IPFW

32-13

Bowling Green

IPFW

Amanda Durham (pictured) went 4-for-9 with a pair of doubles on the day.

April 23, 2014 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BGSU battled IPFW in a 12-inning duel in game one, losing by a score of 7-6.

By: by BGSU Athletic Communications

BOXSCORES (HTML): Game 1 | Game 2

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The Bowling Green State University softball team lost a pair of non-conference road games to IPFW on Wednesday (April 23) afternoon, losing to the Mastodons, 7-6, in a 12-inning duel before dropping a 6-0 decision in the second game at the IPFW Softball Field.

The Falcons (20-25-1) opened the day scoring six runs on nine hits—including four extra base hits— to race out to a four-run lead, but a late seventh inning rally by IPFW (33-13) forced extra frames that proved costly to Bowling Green.

The scheduled seven-inning game unexpectedly became a 12-inning clash between BGSU and the Mastodons, marking the Falcons longest BGSU softball game since the team defeated Ball State 5-4 in 14 innings on May 1, 2011.

Braiden Dillow (8-7) earned a tough loss in the pitching circle, entering in relief in the seventh inning and throwing over 80 pitches over the remainder five innings. Dillow surrendered only five hits and one earned run—including three strikeouts— before allowing the game-winning run to cross the plate in the 12th inning.

The Orange and Brown were led offensively by Amanda Durham (2-for-6), Chelsea Raker (3-for-6), and Katie Yoho (1-for-4). The three combined for six of the Falcons' nine hits in the game, and totaled all four of BGSU's extra base hits. Shelby Fink, Aspen Searle, and Marisa Shook also contributed at the plate by totaling a hit each in the contest.

After surrendering the first run of the game to the Mastodons in the home half of the second inning, the Falcons got the offense rolling by scoring three times in the top of the third frame. Fink opened with a walk and advanced to second from a sacrifice bunt by Aspen Searle. Durham then followed with her second double in as many at-bats to score Fink from second base for the Falcons' first run of the game, tying the tilt at 1-1.

The Orange and Brown continued the inning when Raker singled to the left side and a walk by Yoho to load the bases. BGSU took a 2-1 lead when Durham scored on a wild pitch, and then took a 3-1 lead when both Haley Schrock and Chloe Giordano walked in consecutive at-bats to bring home Raker from third base. In all, the Falcons took advantage of three walks, two wild pitches and two hits to take a two-run lead in the third inning.

While Kertes—who started in the pitching circle for the Orange and Brown—was shutting down the IPFW bats, Bowling Green added to their lead with a two-run fifth inning. Raker and Yoho, who entered the game with a combined 15 home runs and 60 RBI, smacked back-to-back solo home runs to hand the Falcons a 5-1 lead.

After IPFW plated a single run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to within three, the Orange and Brown again extended their lead to four with a single run in the top of the seventh. Yoho led off the inning with her second walk of the game and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly ball hit by Giordano.

IPFW, trailing 6-2, rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring four runs to extend the game. It marked the sixth time the Falcons headed into extra innings this season.
In what became a game of needing one run to come out victorious, both pitching staffs shut down the opposing team's offensive bats. The two clubs combined for one hit each over the first four extra inning frames, as neither team placed a runner in scoring position.

Finally, after BGSU was retired in order in the top of the 12th inning, IPFW scored the game-winning run with three consecutive hits in the home half of the inning to outlast the Falcons in 12 innings.

In game two, the Falcons were unable to plate a run as the Mastodons jumped out to a 6-0 lead before the contest being called offical due to darkness.

All three Orange and Brown members on the pitching staff made an appearance in the circle. Kertes (12-18) made her 27th start of the season, surrendering two earned runs on three hits in four innings of work. The Carnegie, Pennsylvania native was credited with the loss. Dillow and sophomore transfer Katie Turski combined to work a full inning in relief, allowing three earned runs on four hits in the losing efforts. Durham and Raker led the Falcons offensively, combining to go 4-for-5 in the game.

Scoreless through the first 3.5 innings, IPFW finally broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning for the game's first runs. The Mastodons began the inning as their first three batters reached base, loading the bases with no outs. After Kertes forced a pop out, IPFW followed with a hard hit ground ball back to Kertes who flipped it back to starting catcher Erika Stratton. A sliding Mastodon clipped Stratton's leg as the senior attempted to turn a 1-2-3 double play, causing the seniors' throw to sail to the right field wall, allowing two IPFW runs to cross home plate.

IPFW score once more in the inning and then plated a three-run fifth to hand the Mastodons a 6-0 lead, and eventually their second win of the day to earn a sweep over Bowling Green.

The Falcons will be back in action this weekend (April 25-27), taking on Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan in Mid-American Conference play. The Orange and Brown will host the Chippewas in a doubleheader at Meserve Field on Friday, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. BGSU will then take on the Eagles in a two-game set on Saturday and Sunday at Meserve Field.