Falcons Drop Low-Scoring Affair To CMU, 3-1

Saturday, April 25

Mount Pleasant, MI

2:05 p.m. ET

Bowling Green State University

15-22, 0

Central Michigan

28-14, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bowling Green	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	2
Central Michigan	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	X	3	7	0

April 25, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML | PDF

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—The Bowling Green State University baseball team got another strong effort on the mound Saturday afternoon, but could not keep up with Central Michigan in a 3-1 setback. The game was played at Theunissen Stadium. With the win, CMU improved to 28-14 on the season and 13-4 in Mid-American Conference action. The Falcons dropped to 15-22 overall and 8-9 in MAC play with the defeat.

"We got another good effort on the mound, but give their pitcher credit for keeping our offense off balance," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "We have a great opportunity still to come back tomorrow and win the series, and that is what we need to be most focused on."

Starting pitcher Andrew Lacinak turned in a quality start for the Falcons, allowing just three runs (two earned) in 6.1 innings of work. He struck out two and scattered seven hits in the effort. The Falcons' starting pitchers have allowed just four earned runs in 36 innings pitched in the last five MAC games.

The Falcons got on the board first Saturday afternoon, manufacturing a run in the top of the third inning. Randy Righter led things off with a single up the middle, his first of three hits in the game. Derek Drewes then sacrificed Righter to second with a bunt.

Brian Bien was next up, slapping a single to right-centerfield and advancing to second on the throw home. Righter, however, was held up at third to give the Falcons two baserunners with just one out. Leadoff batter Kory Brown then lifted a fly ball to centerfield, scoring Righter from third to give the Orange and Brown a 1-0 lead.

In both the third and fourth innings, Lacinak issued walks but was able to work around them to keep the Chippewas off the scoreboard. However, the Falcons could not increase their lead in the middle innings against CMU starter Sean Renzi, who allowed just the one run in 8.0 innings of work.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, CMU drew even with a one-out solo home run off the bat of Pat MacKenzie, his first of the season. The next batter was walked, before a ground out to Righter at first base moved him into scoring position. On a 3-2 pitch to Nick Regnier, Central Michigan took the lead on a single up the middle, scoring Tyler Huntey from second to give CMU a 2-1 lead after five.

An error in the bottom of the seventh to the leadoff hitter opened the door for the Chippewas to add some insurance, as they eventually made the Falcons pay with an unearned run in the inning.

Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Bien led things off with an infield single down the third base line. He was then picked off, however, on a near-balk which drew the ire of the Falcons' bench and coaching staff. The Falcons were held scoreless in both the eighth and ninth innings, as CMU held on for a 3-1 win.

The two teams will meet in the series finale on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch in Mount Pleasant scheduled for 1:05 p.m. The Falcons will look to become the first team in 2015 to defeat CMU in a series tomorrow afternoon.