Timely Hitting Leads Ohio Past BGSU Friday

Friday, May 6

Bowling Green, OH

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

18-35, 6-16

Ohio

32-21, 13-9

Ohio

Bowling Green

Oct 18 2015 intrasquad - Mike Cihon photo

Kiley Sosby allowed just 2 hits in 6-plus innings of work in Friday's second game

Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications

May 06, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BG posts a pair of strong pitching performances, but one big hit in each game proves to be costly for the Falcons, who will again host Ohio in a single game Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Two Bowling Green State University pitchers combined to limit visiting Ohio University to just seven hits in 14 innings of softball Friday afternoon (May 6), but one big hit in each game was enough to lift the Bobcats past the Falcons. Ohio swept the Mid-American Conference doubleheader by scores of 3-1 and 4-1 at sun-drenched Meserve Field.

NOTE: The start time has changed for the final game of the teams' three-game weekend series. Due to rain in the afternoon forecast, BGSU and Ohio will meet on Saturday morning (May 7), with first pitch set for 11:00 a.m. at Meserve Field. Saturday marks Senior Day for the Falcon program, with BG's six seniors being recognized in ceremonies scheduled to begin at approximately 10:45 a.m.

GAME ONE STATISTICS: HTML | PDF
GAME TWO STATISTICS: HTML | PDF

Senior Braiden Dillow and freshman Kiley Sosby each pitched well enough to win on Friday. As mentioned, the Falcons allowed a combined seven hits in the entire doubleheader. But, at the plate, the Brown and Orange could manage just eight total hits against Ohio hurlers Danielle Steine and Savannah Jo Dorsey.

The Bobcats were very efficient with their meager total of hits. Ohio followed an infield single with a two-run homer in the first game, and the 'Cats got a bases-loaded double in the seventh inning of the nightcap. The visitors left a total of just six runners on base all day, compared to 13 for the Falcons.

Dillow allowed only four hits in her complete-game effort in game one, but one of those hits was a two-run shot by Stiene that put the visitors on top for good.

In the second game, Sosby took a one-hit shutout into the seventh, but the Bobcats scratched across a run to tie the score at 1-1, before Morgan Geno's bases-loaded pinch-hit double gave the visitors a three-run lead.

"Ohio definitely capitalized on a few situations with clutch hitting today," said BGSU coach Sarah Willis. "Both of our pitchers who threw today did a great job. Braiden and Kiley both were very consistent.

"Braiden, again today, certainly deserved a 'W' by her name. I know tomorrow, in her final day, she will work very hard to get one. Kiley, as a freshman, has struggled at times this year, but she did a tremendous job in the first six innings today. We know she will work on extending that success and finishing games out in the future, but we definitely saw the kind of potential she has in today's second game."

In the opener, Dillow retired leadoff hitter Taylor Saxton to begin the game, but Jamie Wren beat out a grounder to the left side. Falcon shortstop Katee Hinkle went deep into the hole to grab the ball, but she had no play. Then, Steine followed by hitting a ball down the left-field line, and it hit the netting above the BG bullpen, just over the outfield fence and just to the right of the foul pole. The 'Cats had an early 2-0 lead.

Dillow then set down the next nine batters she faced. And, after being retired in order in the first, the Falcons put two runners on base in both the second and third innings. But, Steine worked out of a first-and-second, no-outs jam in each case.

In the BG second, senior Marisa Shook reached base on an infield error, and moved to second on Dillow's bunt. Dillow was safe as well on the play, as first baseman Casie Hutchinson made a diving effort to grab the ball, but threw to first base too late to get the BG senior.

But, Steine got a strikeout, a fly ball to shallow right, and an infield popup to retire the side.

In the BG third, Hinkle drew a walk, and senior Molly Holliday followed with a bunt. Both runners were safe when Ohio third baseman Mikayla Cooper's throw to second base was not in time to retire Hinkle. Again, though, Steine emerged from the inning unscathed, as a fly ball to left, a popup to second base and a strikeout stranded the runners.

The Bobcats added to the lead in the fourth, scoring an unearned run after a pair of BG errors. With one out, Geno's liner went off the glove of a Falcon infielder and caromed into the outfield. A grounder sent pinch-runner Alex Day to second base, and another infield error put runners at the corners with two down. The next hitter, Deanna Cole, beat out a slow roller to short, with Day crossing the plate to give the 'Cats a 3-0 lead.

With two down in the bottom of the inning, sophomore Morgan Evangelista was hit by a pitch, but a looper by senior Marina Cobbs was grabbed by second baseman Saxton, who made a diving catch behind first base for the third out.

Dillow set down the Bobcats in order in the fifth, but Steine returned the favor.

In the top of the sixth, the visitors threatened when Day walked and Hutchinson doubled with one out. Holliday nearly caught Hutchinson's looper to right-center, but the ball was just out of reach of her diving effort. The visitors had runners at second and third, but rightfielder Cobbs made a nice play on a Cooper foul fly, grabbing the ball after a long run and quickly firing it home to keep the runners from advancing. Then, Hinkle gloved Cole's soft liner just above the ground for the third out.

BG got a run in the bottom of the sixth, as redshirt sophomore Chelsea Raker led off the inning and reached on an error. Pinch-runner Alex Sorgi was retired at second on Shook's grounder, however, and Hutchinson made a nifty diving catch of Dillow's liner.

With two down, though, sophomore Kayla Gregory lined a ball down the left-field line. Ohio's Michaela Dorsey left her feet in an attempt to make a diving catch, but was unsuccessful, and the ball went all the way to the fence in the left-field corner. Shook scored easily from first on the first triple of Gregory's career. The next hitter, Evangelista, hit the ball hard, but the sophomore catcher hit the ball directly at second baseman Saxton, who threw to first for out number three.

In the seventh, Dillow retired the first two Bobcats on ground balls before walking Saxton. The Ohio leadoff hitter, who entered Friday's action with 35 stolen bases on the year, took off for second, but slid past the bag and was tagged out by Hinkle for the third out of the inning.

But, Stein was able to get a fly ball to left, a strikeout and a one-hopper back to the circle to retire the Falcons in order in the bottom of the inning.

Steine allowed just an unearned run and two hits in her complete-game win. She walked one Falcon and struck out four. Steine threw 60 of her 85 pitches for strikes.

Dillow surrendered just two earned runs and four hits in her seven innings of work, walking two and whiffing one. Dillow threw 49 strikes among her 87 total pitches in game one.

In the nightcap, Sosby was masterful in the first six innings. She allowed just one hit during that time, on a one-out single in the first. Then, however, she struck out the next two hitters, beginning a stretch in which she retired 18-straight batters. After the Bobcats began game two with a walk and a single, the visitors did not get another baserunner until there was one out in the seventh.

But, Dorsey kept the Falcons off the scoreboard as well through the first four innings. Dorsey, who entered the day with an NCAA-leading 293 strikeouts, struck out just one of the 26 hitters she faced, but she took a shutout into the fifth.

Saxton led off game two by drawing a walk, but she was caught stealing on the very next pitch, as catcher Evangelista fired a strike to second baseman Gregory. Wren singled up the middle, and eventually got to third base on a stolen base and an error, but she would be Ohio's last baserunner until the fateful seventh frame. Sosby struck out Steine, then Hutchinson, to retire the side.

Holliday singled to begin the BG half of the first inning, but she was stranded there after a popup on an unsuccessful bunt attempt, a strikeout and an infield popup.

Holliday made a nice running catch to take a potential hit away from Madison Claytor in the second inning, as three-straight Ohio hitters were retired. But, in the bottom of the inning, Dillow was robbed for the second time on the day, as Saxton ranged to her right to catch a liner by the BG senior.

Freshman Hannah Giammarino won a lengthy battle with Dorsey to begin the Falcon third inning. Giammarino nearly reached when she poked a bunt attempt past first baseman Hutchinson, but the ball landed just foul. Seven pitches later, however, the freshman lined a single through the left side of the Ohio infield.

Giammarino advanced to second on a sac bunt by Hinkle, but a popup produced the second out of the inning. Junior Haley Schrock drew a walk to put two runners aboard, but Dorsey induced a foul pop to the left side of the infield.

Sosby retired the 'Cats in order, of course, in the fourth, and Shook hit a ball the opposite way for a leadoff single. Dillow bunted her to second, but Gregory was retired on a nice play at both ends on a grounder to short. Amanda Dalton came up with the ball, and Hutchinson did a nice job to keep her foot on the bag as she lunged for Dalton's throw, which was slightly off-target. Then, Dorsey got a popup that ended the inning.

The Ohio fifth, however, saw two hitters ground out to Hinkle, sandwiched around a foul pop to Raker. And, Raker broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the inning.

Giammarino led off the inning with a nifty piece of hitting. The freshman pushed a bunt past the pitcher, Dorsey, with the first baseman charging toward home plate. Second baseman Saxton fielded the ball on one bounce, but had no play, as Giammarino easily beat Hutchinson to the first-base bag.

Giammarino, however, was erased at second on Hinkle's bunt, and a fly ball to left produced the second out. But, Schrock drew her second walk in as many plate appearances, and Raker's blooper down the left-field line dropped in for a base hit. Hinkle rounded third and scored, and the Falcons had drawn first blood.

The next hitter, Shook, singled to shallow left, but Schrock was thrown out at third after she rounded the bag and tried to scramble back. The Bobcats were out of the inning, but the Falcons had a 1-0 lead.

And, Sosby retired the Bobcats in order in the sixth. After Dorsey returned the favor in the bottom of the frame, the game headed to the seventh.

Shook made arguably the defensive play of the day to begin the inning. Wren lined a ball to left, but the senior leftfielder made a diving catch for the first out. But, Steine drew a walk, and pinch-runner MacKenzie Brunswick stole second. Hutchinson lined a ball to the base of the wall in right-center for a double, with Brunswick crossing the plate to tie the game at 1-1.

Dillow replaced Sosby in the circle, and the next hitter, Claytor, lined a ball just to the third-base side of second base. Hinkle, however, went to her left to track down the ball, then whirled and fired to Schrock at third to retire the lead runner.

A walk, however, loaded the bases, and Geno followed with a pinch-hit double that cleared them.

Dorsey took a three-run lead to the bottom of the seventh, but walked Giammarino on four pitches, prompting the 'Cats to replace her with Steine. A bunt was popped up for the first out, before a grounder sent pinch-runner Sorgi to second base, but resulted in the second out of the inning. Sorgi stole third, but Steine got a grounder back to the circle, and fired to first to retire the side and end the game.

The Falcons had six hits to Ohio's three, with Giammarino going 2-for-2 with a walk in the game. Shook was 2-for-3 at the plate, while Schrock walked twice in four plate appearances.

Sosby allowed three runs on just two hits in six-and-a-third innings of action. She walked a pair of Bobcats and struck out four.

Dorsey gave up a run and six hits in six-plus innings to pick up the win. She walked three hitters and struck out just one. Stiene retired all three hitters she faced to earn the save.

"For the most part, our defense was phenomenal today," said Willis. "And, for the most part, I thought we did a great job of hitting against arguably the best pitcher in the MAC. We outhit them in that second game, and that says a lot about what we can do when we have confidence and believe in ourselves.

"We got baserunners and struck out only once all game against the nation's leader strikeouts. We did a lot of good things today, but we just need to put a complete game together and finish it out."

The Falcons and Bobcats, as mentioned, will play an 11:00 a.m. single game on Saturday to close the regular season. It will be Senior Day for the Falcons, with the program's six seniors recognized in on-field ceremonies prior to the game. The six seniors include Cobbs, Dillow, Holliday, Shook, Chandler Scott and Katie Turski, and the ceremonies are scheduled to begin at approximately 10:45 a.m.