KSU Uses Long Ball to Get Past Falcons on Sunday

Sunday, May 7

Kent, OH

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

24-31, 10-13

Kent State

26-25, 14-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bowling Green	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Kent State	0	0	0	0	0	2	X	2	3	1

Brooke Parker v Tiffin - Oct 2016 - Paul Duncan photo

Brooke Parker threw a complete-game 3 hitter in Sunday's opener

May 07, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Flashes sweep BGSU, 2-0 and 8-0, in Sunday doubleheader

By: KENT, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Host Kent State University used the long ball to top the Bowling Green State University softball team on Sunday (May 7), as the Golden Flashes posted wins by scores of 2-0 and 8-0 in Mid-American Conference action at the Diamond at Dix.

Emily Dobbin's sixth-inning homer broke a scoreless tie in the opener, and the Golden Flashes got a back-to-back round-trippers from Maddy Grimm and Holly Speers to take a first-inning lead in game two. Grimm and Speers each went deep twice in the nightcap.

With the losses, the Falcons see the 2017 season come to an end. BGSU, picked to finish last in the MAC's East Division, ended the year with an overall record of 24-32 and a MAC mark of 10-14.

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

Sophomore Brooke Parker suffered the loss in the opening game, despite throwing a complete-game three-hitter. She retired 16 of the first 17 KSU hitters before the Flashes got on the board in the sixth. Parker struck out five batters and did not issue a walk. She needed just 70 pitches to get through six innings, throwing 52 of those 70 pitches for strikes.

"Obviously, today was really disappointing," said BGSU head coach Sarah Willis. "We came out knowing we needed to handle some business today. We played a competitive game one, but just fell short. Parker pitched a great game for us, and definitely pitched well enough to win.

"Their big power hitters hadn't done too much against us all weekend, but obviously, after the fifth and sixth look, we gave them some good pitches and they made us pay."

The Falcons outhit the Flashes, 6-3, in Sunday's first game. Sophomore Hannah Giammarino was the lone player on either team with a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a double. Giammarino had three hits in Sunday's doubleheader.

But, despite putting at least one runner on base in six of the seven innings, the Falcons could not get a run against Janel Hayes. BGSU left seven runners on base in the game, compared to just one for Kent State.

Senior Haley Schrock singled past the lunging effort of KSU second baseman Kellie Abeska with one out in the first, while junior Katee Hinkle beat out a grounder to Abeska with one down in the second. On both occasions, though, Hayes struck out the next hitter, then got an inning-ending groundout.

Hayes, like Parker, struck out five and did not walk a batter.

Meanwhile, Parker worked a perfect first inning, striking out Grimm for the third out, then got a pair of grounders after allowing a one-out single to Bailey Brownfield in the second. Brownfield was erased on Allie Luther's bouncer to shortstop, while Brooke Dodson grounded out to Schrock at third.

Giammarino led off the third inning with a line single to right, and she took second on Schrock's grounder with one out. But, Hayes sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around that ground ball to retire the side.

In the top of the fourth, redshirt junior Chelsea Raker drove a ball to the gap in right-center, splitting the outfielders for a leadoff double. But, a fielder's-choice grounder produced the inning's first out on the basepaths, and Hinkle's grounder resulted in a force play at second. As the Flashes returned the ball to Hayes, however, Hinkle alertly took off for second, reaching safely with a headfirst slide. But, Hayes got a ground ball to short for the third out.

The Falcons were retired in order in the fifth, and after KSU shortstop Speers dropped a popup with two down in the sixth, Hayes got a grounder to third that retired the side.

Parker, however, was rolling through the KSU lineup. After that Brownfield hit in the second, she retired 12 consecutive batters. Abeska, though, broke that streak with a one-out single in the sixth, and Dobbin followed with her homer to right-center. BGSU rightfielder Giammarino gave chase, but the ball was hit just far enough to clear the sophomore's lunging effort as well as the fence. Parker responded by striking out pinch-hitter Ronnie Ladines, then punching out Grimm for the second time, but the Flashes had the lead.

Hinkle led off the seventh with a liner that sent KSU centerfielder Maria Cegledy to the warning track, but Cegledy was able to make an over-the-shoulder catch for the first out. Parave was ruled out on a disputed call, as it was ruled her bat had hit the ball after she left the batter's box. But, with two down, the Falcons attempted to rally.

Sophomore Kiley Sosby's soft liner landed just inside the left-field line for a long single, and Giammarino drilled a ball past third baseman Grimm and down the line for a double, with pinch-runner Taylor Blevins taking third. But, Hayes recovered, getting a grounder to third that ended the inning and the game.

Hayes threw a total of 102 pitches in the game, allowing six hits en route to the victory.

Game two saw the Falcons get a leadoff hit from sophomore Alex Sorgi, who hit a grounder toward short. Speers' throw to first was off-line, but Sorgi easily beat the throw, and the speedy soph promptly swiped second, for her team-leading 17th stolen base of the season. Sorgi took third on Schrock's grounder, but another grounder to third resulted in the second out as Sorgi was forced to hold. Then, a one-hopper back to Ladines in the circle produced out number three.

In the bottom of the first, KSU jumped on top quickly. Dobbin drew a leadoff walk, and after Parker got Hunter Brancifort to hit an infield popup, Grimm followed with a long homer to right, giving the Flashes a two-run lead. The next batter, Speers, hit a fly ball that may have been aided by a wind blowing from left to right, but her ball cleared the right-field fence by several feet to make it a 3-0 game.

Sophomore Meredith Miller entered the circle for the Falcons, and kept the Flashes from adding to the lead. She allowed a single and a walk, but struck out Jen Cader on three pitches, then got Nicole Teefy to hit a foul pop that Raker grabbed near first base.

Cegledy robbed junior Laine Simmons of a leadoff hit in the second inning, as the centerfielder charged in and made a diving catch. Miller worked around a one-out bunt single by Dobbin in the bottom of the inning, striking out Grimm to retire the side.

Giammarino's third hard-hit ball of the afternoon resulted in a one-out single to right in the third, and she took second on a wild pitch, but Ladines struck out the side, then proceeded to whiff all three batters she faced in the Falcon fourth.

KSU took a 4-0 lead when Luther doubled to score Brownfield in the third, and the Flashes broke the game open in the fourth. Abeska singled, but was erased on Dobbin's grounder. Brancifort was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners aboard, and Grimm followed with a homer to center, her second of the game and 18th of the season. Speers homered as well, giving her 13th round-trippers on the season. Miller struck out pinch-hitter Vanessa Scoarste and Ladines, but KSU had an eight-run lead.

And, in the fifth, Ladines closed out the victory. Parave reached with one out, and the senior took second base on Sosby's grounder, but a strikeout left her stranded there and ended the game.

Ladines picked up the win to improve to 15-13 on the year. She struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

At the plate, Grimm and Speers each went 2-for-3, with Grimm driving in five runs and Speers two.

The Falcons posted six more overall victories and four more MAC victories than last season. BG improved by 5.0 games overall and 3.5 games in conference play.

"This year, overall, was certainly a step in the right direction for our program," said Willis. "I'm very thankful for the seniors, who played their last game here today, for all of their help as we rebuild this program. They definitely left it in better condition, and the returning players, along with next year's incoming freshman, are only going to help us continue to move forward."

Sunday's doubleheader marked the final action in the careers of five Falcons: Hinkle, Parave, Raker, Schrock and Briana Combs. All five student-athletes have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.41 or higher.