Falcons Drop MAC Tournament Opener, 6-2

Wednesday, May 21

Avon, Ohio

TBA

Bowling Green State University

25-26

Kent State University

33-21

Bowling Green

Kent State

May 21, 2014 | Baseball

Box Score

BGSU faces elimination game Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

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AVON, Ohio—Bowling Green was unable to overcome a five-run fourth inning on Wednesday, as the Falcons dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 4 seed Kent State in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. With the loss, the Falcons are now 25-26 on the season and will play an elimination game tomorrow (May 22) at 9:30 a.m.

Both BGSU's Mike Frank and KSU's Brian Clark rolled in the early going. Frank did not allow a hit during the first three innings, while Clark surrendered just two.

In the top of the first, the Falcons got their first hit of the game, as Jake Thomas turned on a pitch and drilled it off the wall in right field. Kent State's right fielder, T.J. Sutton, would make a nice defensive play to hold Thomas to a long single. Bowling Green's middle of the order was unable to get Thomas any further than first.

After setting down the Golden Flashes through the first three innings, KSU would get their first hit of the game to begin the bottom of the fourth. A seeing-eye single off the bat of Cody Koch would put runners on the corners for designated hitter, Zarley Zalewski, with nobody out. Zalewski would drill a pitch into the right field corner for a two-run triple, getting the Golden Flashes on the board.

Frank would bear down, retiring the next two Golden Flashes to keep the score 2-0 with a runner on third and two outs. But, the Golden Flashes would pick things back up with two outs, recording three straight hits to increase their lead to 5-0 and end Frank's day.

Jason Link would come into the game to relieve Frank. Link would work out of the jam, but the damage had already been done by the Golden Flashes lineup. In fact, Link would work the rest of the game, pitching 4.1 innings while allowing just two hits. He struck out three.

The Falcons would get on the board in the top of the fifth, as Logan Walker found himself on first base after a fielder's choice with one out. Brandon Howard would lay a bunt down, and KSU catcher Jeff Revesz would throw it down the right field line. Howard was credited with a single, but advanced all the way to third on the throwing error which allowed Walker to score from first.

The Falcons would not be able to solve Clark for much of the afternoon, as he settled in after that and retired 10 consecutive Falcons before T.J. Losby was walked to begin the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jesse Rait would move Losby to second, and KSU would turn to the bullpen ending Clark's day.

Patrick Lancaster would single against new KSU pitcher John Fasola to load the bases, and Walker would score Losby with a fly out to center field. That would be all the Orange and Brown would get, as Fasola would finish it off to give Kent State the 6-2 victory.

"Today's loss was a tough one, but we have to put it behind us and be ready to play tomorrow morning," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "We will refocus and get ready to play with our backs against the wall the rest of the tournament."

Bowling Green now faces an elimination game on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. The Falcons will play the loser of No. 1 seed Ball State and No. 8 seed Western Michigan. The winner of Thursday's game will advance to play on Friday, while the loser will see its season come to an end.