Bowling Green State University Athletics
Braiden Dillow (left), Aspen Searle (center) & Briana Combs get a chance to play against the USA Softball National Team Wednesday night
Trio of Falcons to Face USA Softball Women's National Team
July 13, 2015 | Softball
Combs, Dillow & Searle to participate in Wednesday's event in Findlay
Three members of the Bowling Green State University softball team will have the opportunity to participate in a prestigious event Wednesday evening (July 15). Briana Combs, Braiden Dillow and Aspen Searle will be part of a team of college all-stars that will compete against the USA Softball Women's National Team.
(NOTE: The event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but has been changed to Wednesday due to inclement weather.)
Dillow will be a senior in the 2015-16 academic year, while Combs and Searle are rising juniors.
"The program is excited to have three of our student-athletes represent BGSU and the state of Ohio in the exhibition game against the USA National team," said Falcon head coach Sarah Willis. "It is a great opportunity and they will do us proud."
The event takes place in Findlay, at Marathon Diamonds at the Cube, and includes a doubleheader followed by an autograph session with Team USA.
Combs, a native of Northville, Mich. (Ladywood), was a team captain in 2015, her first season at BGSU. A transfer from the University of Evansville, she appeared in a total of 35 games, including 34 at pitcher. Combs made 15 starts on the year, and had three of the team's four complete games. She had a 4-8 record, a team-leading 2.95 earned-run average and two saves, also a BG best. Combs was fourth in the MAC in relief appearances, with 19. She had an ERA of just 1.52 in MAC games, and fired a complete-game, five-hit shutout against Toledo. Combs also threw a shutout against IPFW, needing just 95 pitches in a complete-game one-hitter at Meserve Field.
Dillow, from Lucasville, Ohio (Valley), pitched in 34 games this past spring, making nine starts. She had a 6-6 record, a 3.49 ERA and one save on the year, and allowed opponents to bat just .252 against her. Dillow led the team in opponent batting average, and led the entire Mid-American Conference in relief appearances (25) and games finished (20). She was named MAC Pitcher of the Week after the season's opening weekend, and she showed her hitting prowess late in the year. Dillow started each of the final five games of the season as the Falcons' designated player, going 6-for-13 (.462) at the plate. She had an on-base percentage of .500 and a slugging pct. of .769, with a double, a homer and three runs scored. That homer came in the ninth inning of a game at Central Michigan on the last day of the regular season, and proved to be the winning run. Dillow also picked up the win in the circle vs. the Chippewas that day.
Searle, a native of Brantford, Ontario (Bishop Tonnos), was one of four Falcons to start all 48 games in 2015. She made 27 starts at shortstop and 21 at second base. Searle finished second on the Falcons in hitting (.344) and twice was named MAC Player of the Week. She led the Brown and Orange in a plethora of categories, including at-bats (157), hits (54), home runs (nine), runs batted in (28), runs scored (35), total bases (97), on-base percentage (.395) and slugging pct. (.618), and tied for the team lead in both doubles (10) and triples (three). Her total of 22 extra-base hits was 10 higher than any other Falcon. Searle also led BGSU in multiple-hit games (16) and multi-RBI games (six - tied for team lead), and she reached base 40 times in 84 opportunities (.476) when leading off an inning. In MAC games, batted .365, leading the Falcons in that category, and she paced BGSU in a multitude of other categories. Her nine homers included a walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, capping a sweep of a doubleheader vs. Detroit. She had a four-hit game at Northern Illinois later that same week, including two doubles and a homer.
Wednesday's first game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, log on to findlayfastpitch.org.
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(NOTE: The event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but has been changed to Wednesday due to inclement weather.)
Dillow will be a senior in the 2015-16 academic year, while Combs and Searle are rising juniors.
"The program is excited to have three of our student-athletes represent BGSU and the state of Ohio in the exhibition game against the USA National team," said Falcon head coach Sarah Willis. "It is a great opportunity and they will do us proud."
The event takes place in Findlay, at Marathon Diamonds at the Cube, and includes a doubleheader followed by an autograph session with Team USA.Combs, a native of Northville, Mich. (Ladywood), was a team captain in 2015, her first season at BGSU. A transfer from the University of Evansville, she appeared in a total of 35 games, including 34 at pitcher. Combs made 15 starts on the year, and had three of the team's four complete games. She had a 4-8 record, a team-leading 2.95 earned-run average and two saves, also a BG best. Combs was fourth in the MAC in relief appearances, with 19. She had an ERA of just 1.52 in MAC games, and fired a complete-game, five-hit shutout against Toledo. Combs also threw a shutout against IPFW, needing just 95 pitches in a complete-game one-hitter at Meserve Field.
Dillow, from Lucasville, Ohio (Valley), pitched in 34 games this past spring, making nine starts. She had a 6-6 record, a 3.49 ERA and one save on the year, and allowed opponents to bat just .252 against her. Dillow led the team in opponent batting average, and led the entire Mid-American Conference in relief appearances (25) and games finished (20). She was named MAC Pitcher of the Week after the season's opening weekend, and she showed her hitting prowess late in the year. Dillow started each of the final five games of the season as the Falcons' designated player, going 6-for-13 (.462) at the plate. She had an on-base percentage of .500 and a slugging pct. of .769, with a double, a homer and three runs scored. That homer came in the ninth inning of a game at Central Michigan on the last day of the regular season, and proved to be the winning run. Dillow also picked up the win in the circle vs. the Chippewas that day.
Searle, a native of Brantford, Ontario (Bishop Tonnos), was one of four Falcons to start all 48 games in 2015. She made 27 starts at shortstop and 21 at second base. Searle finished second on the Falcons in hitting (.344) and twice was named MAC Player of the Week. She led the Brown and Orange in a plethora of categories, including at-bats (157), hits (54), home runs (nine), runs batted in (28), runs scored (35), total bases (97), on-base percentage (.395) and slugging pct. (.618), and tied for the team lead in both doubles (10) and triples (three). Her total of 22 extra-base hits was 10 higher than any other Falcon. Searle also led BGSU in multiple-hit games (16) and multi-RBI games (six - tied for team lead), and she reached base 40 times in 84 opportunities (.476) when leading off an inning. In MAC games, batted .365, leading the Falcons in that category, and she paced BGSU in a multitude of other categories. Her nine homers included a walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, capping a sweep of a doubleheader vs. Detroit. She had a four-hit game at Northern Illinois later that same week, including two doubles and a homer.
Wednesday's first game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, log on to findlayfastpitch.org.
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Players Mentioned
BGSU Softball "Outside the Chalk" - Coach Michelle Gardner (April 29, 2026)
Thursday, April 30
BGSU Softball "Outside the Chalk" - Morgan Beckham (April 21, 2026)
Wednesday, April 22
BGSU Softball Highlights (April 17, 2026)
Friday, April 17
"Outside The Chalk" -- Hannah Simko (April 14, 2026)
Tuesday, April 14