Falcons Fall, 3-0, to SIUE Sunday

Sunday, March 8

Clearwater, Fla.

11:15 AM

Bowling Green State University

5-8

SIU-Edwardsville

15-4

Bowling Green

SIUE

March 08, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

BGSU now prepares for a Tuesday game vs. Penn

By: CLEARWATER, Fla. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Haley Chambers threw a complete-game two-hitter as SIU Edwardsville downed the Bowling Green State University softball team by a 3-0 score on Sunday (March 8). The game was BGSU's fifth and final contest in the USF Under Armour Showcase.

The Cougars, now 15-4 on the year, managed only four hits of their own, but the first of those hits was a two-run homer by Whitney Lanphier in the bottom of the second inning. That round-tripper, which came after a leadoff walk to Amy Hunt, was all Chambers and SIUE would need. Chambers now has a record of 9-2 on the young season.

For BGSU (5-8), junior Braiden Dillow took the loss in the circle, dropping to 3-5 on the year. Sophomore Briana Combs was solid in relief, allowing just one run and three hits in five innings of work.

"We struggled all weekend to be sharp in all phases of the game," said BGSU head coach Shannon Salsburg. "Today we were sharp defensively, and Bri did a good job of shutting SIUE down when she pitched.

"Offensively, we had two big innings that we simply couldn't push across runs."

The Falcons threatened in the first, as junior Molly Holliday was hit by a pitch with one out. Holliday proceeded to steal second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. But, she was stranded there.

Freshman Kayla Koch recorded the Falcons' first hit of the day with a two-out single in the second inning, and classmate Lauren Newmark walked to move Koch to second. Senior Emily McClelland was hit by a Chambers pitch to load the bases, but Chambers worked out of the jam, getting a strikeout for the third out.

In the bottom of the second, the Hunt walk and the Lanphier homer put the Cougars on top. SIUE put two more runners on base, with a walk and a fielder's choice, and Combs replaced Dillow in the circle. The next batter, Jordan LaFave, attempted to bunt, but BG catcher Morgan Evangelista – who had entered the game at the same time as Combs – made a diving catch for the first out, and Combs and the Falcons got a pair of grounders to avert further damage.

Back-to-back walks began the SIUE half of the third inning, and a grounder put two runners in scoring position with just one out. But, a fielder's choice resulted in the Cougars' Rachel Keller being cut down at the plate, and another grounder produced the third out.

In the fourth, however, SIUE was able to add to the lead. A pair of bunts to start the inning resulted in a hit and a sacrifice. And, when Chambers singled to right, Rebecca Gray crossed the plate with the Cougars' third run.

The Falcons allowed only one SIUE hit the rest of the way, but BG could not get another baserunner until the seventh inning. With one out, senior Chloe Giordano singled to left, and Koch was hit by a pitch, Chambers' third HBP of the day. But, the SIUE hurler rallied by getting back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

Chambers walked one batter and struck out 11 in her complete-game win, although she did have a wild pitch in addition to hitting three Falcon batters.

"The great thing about our sport is that in two days, we get to play again," said Salsburg. "We are excited to get back on track in all phases of the game."

The Falcons remain in Clearwater, taking on Penn in a Tuesday (March 10) contest slated to begin at 3:00 p.m. Then, BGSU will return north to face IUPUI in Indianapolis on Thursday (March 12) before heading to Bloomington for the Indiana University Hoosier Classic from Friday through Sunday (March 13-15). BG will play six games in that tourney, taking on North Dakota and IPFW twice each while also meeting Wright State and host IU.