Williams Homers In Loss To Youngstown State Wednesday Afternoon

Wednesday, May 11

Bowling Green, Ohio

3:05 PM EST

Bowling Green State University

16-32

Youngstown State

12-32

Youngstown State

Bowling Green

May 11, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML | PDF

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team lost to Youngstown State University, 9-5, Wednesday (May 11) afternoon at Steller Field. The Falcons scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, but Youngstown State countered by scoring eight unanswered runs. The contest was Bowling Green's final non-conference game of the season.

The Penguins swept the season series, as YSU defeated Bowling Green on April 27, as well. Bowling Green drops to 16-32 on the year with the loss, while Youngstown State improves to 12-32.

"It was a good sign that we came out, and got an early run on the board," said head coach Danny Schmitz. "But I wasn't happy with the effort after that. We really have to dig deep. We only have six games left, and we are on the outside looking in as far as the MAC Tournament goes. It goes without saying that this weekend is the biggest weekend of the year for us."

The Falcons scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Matt Smith hit a two-out single, and then Greg Basalyga moved him over to third with a double down the left-field line. Smith came around to score on a wild pitch.

Youngstown State quickly took control of the game, however. The Penguins took the lead with a two-run second, and then pulled away by scoring twice in the third and four times in the fourth.

R.J. Williams hit his second home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth, pulling Bowling Green within five runs at 8-3. Williams crushed a ball over the right-field fence, sparking a stretch in which the Falcons scored three-consecutive runs.

In the bottom of the fifth, after Derek Drewes walked and Riley Minorik put runners on the corners with a single through the right side, Tyler Greiner shot an RBI single into right. Drewes scored on the play, drawing the Falcons even closer.

Youngstown State took a 9-4 lead with a one-run eighth, before the Falcons made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Bowling Green would bring the tying run to the plate, but a fly out would end the ballgame.

Joe McGuinness and Justin Mott recorded singles in the ninth, helping Bowling Green eventually load the bases. Minorik coaxed a walk to bring in a run, but Cam Daugherty was set down to end the comeback effort.

After a rocky start to the game, the Falcon bullpen did a nice job. Chase Antle pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, before Devin Daugherty and Mat Szabo threw one shutout inning apiece. Kody Brown allowed one unearned run over his inning of work, while Tony Landi tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Orange and Brown will conclude its home schedule over the weekend by taking on Kent State. Friday's (May 13) game is set to begin at 3:05 p.m., while the Saturday (May 14) and Sunday (May 15) ballgames are slated for 1:05 p.m. start times. Sunday will serve as the program's Senior Day.