Falcons Even Series With 8-6 Win Over Kent State

Saturday, April 26

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:05 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

18-20, 9-8

Kent State University

28-14, 12-5

Kent State

Bowling Green

April 26, 2014 | Baseball

Box Score

Bowling Green pounds out 13 hits to improve to 9-8 in MAC play

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—Bowling Green used a six-run fifth inning on Saturday afternoon in a crucial middle game of the series, defeating Kent State 8-6 to even up the series and force a rubber match on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Falcons improve to 18-20 on the season and 9-8 in Mid-American Conference play.

After a devastating loss on Friday—thanks to an eighth inning home run by Kent State—Bowling Green needed to rebound in a big way on Saturday afternoon.

Brett Fitzwater picked up the start for the Orange and Brown on the mound, receiving a no-decision after 4.2 innings pitched. Fitzwater allowed just two hits through the first four innings, but they both went for home runs as the wind was blowing swiftly out to right field for the second straight day.

The Golden Flashes would take an early lead in the game, as Cody Koch once again homered against the Falcons. On Saturday, his solo home run in the second inning gave the Golden Flashes a 1-0 lead.

But, the Falcons would respond right away, coming back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second against KSU's Nick Jensen-Clagg. Brandon Howard, who was on base three times in the game, would draw a one-out walk to get things started in the second inning for the Falcons. After a stolen base—the first of three for him in the game—Logan Walker would reach on an error by Kent State's Sawyer Polen.

On the very next pitch, Howard would swipe third to put runners at the corners with just one out in the bottom of the second. Jesse Rait would hit a ground ball to third, but his hustle down the line would allow him to stay out of the double play to score Howard from third and tie the contest at one run apiece.

With two outs and Rait on first base, leadoff hitter Brian Bien came to the dish. Bien was 4-for-4 on Saturday, increasing his batting average to a team-high .367. After Rait advanced to second on a balk, the shortstop from Cincinnati would single up the middle to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons would opt to walk the dangerous Koch to begin the fourth inning, but KSU's Zarley Zalewski would make them pay with a two-run home run, which was wind-aided to right field. Zalewski's first home run of the season gave Kent State a 3-2 advantage.

The Golden Flashes would score two more runs in the top of the fifth to increase their lead to 5-2, as T.J. Sutton's two-out triple would score two and knock Fitzwater out of the game.

Devin Daugherty would come into the game to get the final out of the fifth inning, keeping the deficit at just three runs. Daugherty would pitch 2.1 innings on Saturday, allowing just one hit, while striking out two to earn his fourth win of the season.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons came to bat trailing 5-2. Rait would lead off the inning with a single up the middle. Bien would follow with his third hit of the day. Jake Thomas would get in on the action with a single—BGSU's third straight to begin the inning—to score Rait and send Bien all the way around to third.

Trailing 5-3 with runners on the corners and nobody out, Jeremy Shay would single down the left field line for his team-leading 29th RBI of the season. Shay and Thomas would both advance into scoring position on T.J. Losby's fly out, but Jensen-Clagg would get a big strikeout for the second out of the inning to keep them there.

Bowling Green's speed would take over the rest of the inning, as Patrick Lancaster would single to short to tie the game at 5-5. After a Lancaster stolen base, his 12th of the year, Howard would single up the middle. Polen, KSU's shortstop would get to the ball, but Howard would beat the throw. The throw to first would prove costly, as it allowed Lancaster to score all the way from second on the play.

Leading 7-5 with Howard on second base following an error by the Golden Flashes, KSU would turn to Michael Clark out of the bullpen. On the first pitch from Clark, Howard would swipe third and score on an error by Kent State's Justin Wagler.

Bowling Green led 8-5 into the seventh inning, but Kent State would add an unearned run to make it 8-6. The Falcons were able to overcome four errors in Saturday's win.

After a scoreless eighth inning by Jason Link on the mound, the Falcons turned to closer Ethan McKenney for the top of the ninth.

Kent State's Alex Miklos would begin the ninth via an error, but McKenney would strike out Curtis Olvey for the first out. Koch would single to put the tying run at first base. McKenney would fall behind Zalewski—who had homered earlier in the game—3-1, but would bounce back to retire the sophomore on strikes for the second out of the inning. Sutton, KSU's right fielder, would fly out to center field to end the game, as McKenney closed the door for his fourth save of the season.

Bowling Green and Kent State will meet again on Sunday (Apr. 27) at 1:00 p.m. The rubber match of the series will feature a pair of lefties on the mound as BGSU will send Andrew Lacinak to the rubber against KSU's Brian Clark.