Falcons Zip Past Akron To Claim Fifth Straight MAC Series

Sunday, May 3

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:05 pm ET

Bowling Green State University

19-24, 11-10

Akron

22-24, 10-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Akron	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	9	3
Bowling Green	1	1	0	0	5	0	2	0	X	9	17	4

May 03, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML | PDF
Postgame Audio: Schmitz | Bien | Basalyga

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University baseball team won their fifth consecutive series in Mid-American Conference action with a 9-2 win over the Akron Zips on Sunday afternoon at Warren E. Steller Field. Bowling Green is now 19-24 on the season and 11-10 in MAC play.

"Our guys did a really nice job today at the plate, and we made some really spectacular defensive plays as well," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "This was a big win, another series win, and that's huge. Zac Carey once again pitched really well on the mound—he settled in after giving up that first inning run and pitched another strong ballgame for us."

Carey was once again outstanding on the mound, yielding just two runs (one earned) over eight innings of work. He did not allow a run after the second inning. Carey is now 5-3 on the season, but 5-0 in seven starts during conference play. Over the last four weeks, Carey is 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA in 32.1 IP.

The Falcons offense exploded for 17 hits and nine runs in the win, improving Bowling Green's mark to 4-1 on the season in Sunday contests. BGSU is averaging 16.2 hits and 9.0 runs per game in Sunday matchups this season.

Akron scored in the top of the first inning off Carey, producing back-to-back hits with two outs for the only earned run the London, Ohio native surrendered in the win. As was the story in the early part of the game, the Falcons came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the first.

Brandon Howard started things off for the Falcons in the bottom of the first, as he reached with a one-out single. Howard then stole second base—his 27th of the season and 59th of his career—to move into scoring position. The redshirt senior is now third all-time in stolen bases for a career and tied for the third-most stolen bases in a season. Howard scored on a two-out RBI single off the bat of Greg Basalyga to knot the game at 1-1 after an inning.

The Zips once again took a lead in the second inning, as they turned a two-out error—the first of four for the Falcons in the game—into an unearned run. Following the throwing error which extended the inning, Akron recorded two straight singles to take a 2-1 lead.

Pitching with a lead, Akron's Jon Pusateri appeared to be in good position as he entered the day with an ERA of under 3.00 on the season. But, BGSU got to the right-hander once again in the second inning to tie the game at two runs apiece.

Jesse Rait led off the second with a single to left-center, and then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Glanzman. Rait on the weekend recorded seven hits and had at least two hits in all three contests.

Brian Bien then laid down a perfect bunt, easily reaching first with a single. Bien went 3-for-3 in the game and now sits 7th all-time in school history with 217 career hits.

With runners on the corners, junior Kory Brown tied the game back up with a single to right field, scoring Rait from third.

Pitching in a tied game, Carey settled down and allowed just three hits and a hit batter over his final six innings of work to earn the victory.

The Falcons took control of the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring five times to grab a 7-2 lead. Trey Keegan led the inning off with a walk and then advanced to third when Matt Smith reached on an error by Akron's shortstop. Basalyga then singled, his second RBI single of the day, to put the Falcons ahead for good at 3-2.

BGSU wasn't done, though, as Righter greeted new Zips pitcher Pat Dyer with a double into the left field corner to score Smith for a 4-2 lead. After two straight strikeouts, Bien then singled through the left side to put the Falcons ahead 6-2. Bien advanced into scoring position on the throw to the plate and scored on an errant pickoff throw by Dyer down the left field line.

Leading 7-2, the Falcons continued to put the pressure on the Zips in the bottom of the seventh. Righter, who finished the day with a career-high four hits, lined a single up the middle to start the inning off. Rait then laid down a bunt—attempting to be a sacrifice—and beat it out when the Akron second baseman did not cover the base in time for the out.

With runners on first and second, Glanzman doubled into the right field corner to score Righter for an 8-2 lead. After another Akron pitching change, Bien lined a single into left field for a 9-2 advantage. For Bien, it was his third RBI of the day which marked a career high for the senior from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Bowling Green, who started the season at 5-16 overall and 0-5 in the MAC has won 14-of-22, including 11-of-16 in conference play, to climb into a tie for fifth with just six league games remaining. The Falcons will now take a break for final exams before resuming conference play on the road next Friday at Kent State.