Falcons Open MAC Play With Heartbreaking 7-6 Loss At EMU

Friday, March 24

Ypsilanti, MI

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Eastern Michigan

March 24, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: PDF | HTML

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University baseball dropped a heartbreaking 7-6 contest at Eastern Michigan University to open Mid-American Conference play on Friday (March 24) evening. Eastern Michigan scored the final five runs of the contest and won the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Falcons out-hit the Eagles, 15-11, but Eastern Michigan scored five unearned runs to completely steal the game. Bowling Green drops to 4-14 (0-1 MAC) with the loss, while Eastern Michigan improves to 5-15 (1-0 MAC) with the victory.

"That's a really difficult loss to take, but at the end of the day, we gave them too many outs and made too many mistakes," said head coach Danny Schmitz. "Our offense was great tonight, and we didn't give away any at-bats. Our pitching fought all game. We will find out the character and fight of this team throughout the rest of the weekend, because this is a tough one."

After a three-run seventh put Bowling Green on top by a score of 6-2, Eastern Michigan scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 6-6.

Eastern Michigan, after scoring its first run of the inning, eventually had two outs and runners at second and third. The Eagles lofted a fly ball into the outfield, and the Falcons picked up an error, as BGSU was unable to make the play. Two more runs came around to score on the play, and then the Eagles tied the game at 6-6 with a single to left during the next at-bat.

In the bottom of the ninth, a walk started the rally for Eastern Michigan. The next batter doubled to put two runners in scoring position. On the double, Bowling Green's relay play appeared to be executed to perfection, but on a bang-bang play, the leading runner was ruled safe at third. After an intentional walk to load the bases, the Eagles won the game in walk-off fashion with a single into right-center.

The Falcons played from ahead nearly the entire game. Blake Jenkins, who finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs, started the contest with a double. He later scored on a wild pitch. After EMU tied the game in the bottom of the second, Randy Righter absolutely crushed an opposite field home run to give BGSU a 2-1 lead in the top of the third.

The Eagles fought right back and evened the game in the bottom of the third, but Greg Basalyga gave BG its third lead of the game in the fifth with a single to right field. Basalyga and Righter were phenomenal in defeat. Both players went 3-for-4 with an RBI and walk. Righter scored two runs, while Basalyga scored one.

The score remained at 3-2 in Bowling Green's advantage until the Falcons' three-run seventh. Derek Drewes started things off with a lined double down the left-field line. Basalyga followed with a single, and then Righter loaded the bases with a walk. Ty Suntken then scored two with a single to right-center, before Wilson had a clutch two-out single that increased BGSU's lead to 6-2.

Jeff Scott finished the game 2-for-4 for the Orange and Brown. Chase Antle got the start, and allowed two runs (one earned) over 4.0 innings. He struck out five and walked four. Brad Croy proceeded to log 2.1 innings, allowing two unearned runs while fanning two and walking one. Kody Brown also gave up two unearned runs over 1.1 innings of work.

Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan will resume the series tomorrow (March 25) with a 3 p.m. first pitch. The three-game series will end on Sunday (March 26). The series finale is slated to begin at 1 p.m.