Gone In A Flash: Falcons Oust Kent State From MAC Tournament With 6-3 Win

Thursday, May 21

Avon, Ohio

9:30 a.m. ET

Bowling Green State University

24-28

No. 2 Kent State

31-22

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kent State	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	12	1
Bowling Green	1	0	0	2	0	1	2	0	X	6	7	0

Gone In A Flash: Falcons Oust Kent State From MAC Tournament With 6-3 Win

May 21, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

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Schmitz Postgame Interview

Carey Postgame Interview

AVON, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University baseball team defeated No. 2 seed Kent State in a Mid-American Conference Tournament elimination game Thursday, knocking off the Golden Flashes with a 6-3 win. With the victory, Bowling Green advances in the loser's bracket to play the loser of the No. 3 Ohio vs. No. 7 Western Michigan game on Friday at 1:00 p.m.

"Just another tremendous performance by our freshman Zac Carey today," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "Zac has pitched with his back against the wall all season long, and today was no different. Our offense put together several quality at-bats against their pitching and we were able to produce runs today."

The Falcons got a big start out of MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Zac Carey, as the right-handed pitcher went 7.1 innings to pick up his seventh win of the season. He allowed just two runs before giving way to Tony Landi who pitched the final 1.2 innings to secure the victory.

Bowling Green got a big offensive day, scoring four runs off First Team All-MAC pitcher Eric Lauer, who entered the day with a 1.67 ERA. The Falcons scored single runs in the first and sixth innings, while scoring two runs in both the fourth and seventh frames.

For the 35th time this season, the Falcons scored first to grab an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After being swept on two walkoff hits just two weeks ago by the Golden Flashes, the Falcons welcomed the opportunity to be the home team.

Brandon Howard walked with one out in the first, and then proceeded to steal his NCAA-leading 40th and 41st bases to move all the way to third. Howard now stands second all-time in school history with 73 career stolen bases. With two outs in the inning, Matt Smith singled home Howard to give the Orange and Brown a 1-0 lead.

Carey was sharp for much of the game, turning in a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second. Kent State did manage 10 hits off the freshman, but the first seven all came with two outs and Carey was able to work around them.

After two consecutive scoreless innings, the Falcons got to Lauer in the bottom of the fourth. Trey Keegan led off the inning with a walk, and then advanced to third on a one-out single by Greg Basalyga. Basalyga advanced to second on the throw from right field to third, as Keegan slid in ahead of the tag safely. Keegan then scampered home on a passed ball to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead, and Smith extended it to three runs as he scored on a single off the bat of Nick Glanzman.

In both the fifth and sixth innings Kent State threatened with two-out hits, but Carey worked out of it in both instances.

Leading 3-0, the Falcons added a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-0. Keegan once again reached with a leadoff walk, and then was sacrificed into scoring position by Smith. After a Basalyga walk, Glanzman beat out a double play ball to keep the inning alive. That proved large, as Jesse Rait then beat out a chopper on the infield to score a run.

BGSU added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Kory Brown reached with a one-out single and then stole second. After a Howard single, the Falcons had runners on the corners. Following a Keegan HBP, Smith beat out a double play ball to score a run and increase the lead to 5-0. Basalyga then ripped a shot to third and the ball trickled past the infield allowing Howard to scamper home for a 6-0 lead.

The Golden Flashes scored two runs in the eighth inning ending Carey's day, but Landi came in to minimize the damage and strand KSU runners on every base. KSU added a run in the ninth with a sacrifice fly, but the Falcons were able to close it out for the victory.

BGSU now waits to find out their Friday opponent, as Ohio and Western Michigan square off at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. The Falcons will take on the loser at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, needing a win to keep its season alive for the second straight day.