Falcons Split Doubleheader At Eastern Michigan

Saturday, March 25

Ypsilanti, MI

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

4-15, 0

Eastern Michigan

6-16, 0

Bowling Green

Eastern Michigan

March 25, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics
Game 1: PDF | HTML
Game 2: PDF | HTML

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University baseball team earned a doubleheader split on Saturday (March 25) afternoon at Eastern Michigan University. After dropping the first game by a score of 2-0, the Falcons picked up a 6-2 victory to salvage the three-game series. With the win, Bowling Green avoided the three-game sweep, and picked up its first Mid-American Conference win of the 2017 season.

"I am very proud of our club," said head coach Danny Schmitz. "We did a lot of things well last night, and might have been a little unfortunate not to get the win. We then didn't show up on offense in the first game today, and it would have been very easy for us to hang our heads, especially with how most of this season has gone.

"We hung in there, and played a great game. It was important to salvage that series, and now we can begin next week on a positive note."

In the second game, Bowling Green was led offensively by Derek Drewes and Justin Mott. Drewes posted a career-high four hits by going 4-for-4 at the plate, while Mott finished the game 2-for-4. Both players registered an RBI and scored a run.

The Falcons played from in front, as BGSU scored single runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead. In the third, Mott poked a one-out single. He then stole second, and scored on a Drewes single into left-center.

In the fifth, Jake Wilson walked to start the inning, moved over to second on a balk, and then advanced to third when Riley Minorik laid down a sacrifice bunt. Mott followed by registering an infield single that scored Wilson.

Bowling Green proceeded to break the ballgame open with a four-run sixth. After consecutive singles by Drewes and Randy Righter, Greg Basalyga coaxed a walk to lead the bases. Ty Suntken drew a walk during the next at-bat, forcing home Drewes to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.

One batter after a strikeout, Eastern Michigan's shortstop booted a ground ball that allowed two more runs to score for the Falcons. With Suntken at third, Minorik and the Falcons executed a perfect squeeze bunt, allowing Suntken to score to give Bowling Green a 6-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Zac Carey was cruising. The junior had retired 11-consecutive batters heading into the seventh inning. Carey logged 6.2 innings, and excited the ballgame after allowing a two-run single. Carey surrendered six hits, struck out two batters, and did not issue a walk.

Right-hander Brad Croy left a runner in scoring position by striking out the next batter to get Bowling Green into the eighth inning. Croy hurled a scoreless eighth, before Tony Landi shut the door in the ninth to secure the win.

The first game of the doubleheader was dominated by Eastern Michigan's starting pitcher, Brad Allen. The right-hander for the Eagles tossed a two-hit shutout. He allowed opposite-field singles to Drewes and Jake Wilson.

Allen struck out six batters, while walking a batter and hitting a batter. Bowling Green's Tyler Anderson logged 6.0 innings, and gave the Falcons an opportunity. Anderson allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out three, and issued three walks.

Left-hander Kody Brown relieved Anderson, and started the seventh inning. He went on to log 2.0 innings, allowing two hits and one run. The Eagles scored one run apiece in innings four, six and eight. In the first game of the day, Eastern Michigan out-hit Bowling Green, 8-2. BGSU did not commit an error, while EMU committed one.

Bowling Green is now 5-15 on the season, and 1-3 in Mid-American Conference play. Eastern Michigan owns a 6-16 record (2-1 MAC).

The Falcons are scheduled to return to Steller Field on Tuesday (March 28) afternoon to take on Youngstown State University. First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m. Bowling Green will then head to DeKalb for a three-game series, spanning March 31-April 2, at Northern Illinois.