BGSU's Late-Game Heroics Lead to Game-Two Victory

Friday, March 23

Bowling Green, OH

1:00 PM ET

Bowling Green State University

16-11, 0-1

Ball State

19-9, 1-0

Ball State

Bowling Green

March 23, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Falcons, Ball State split a DH on the opening day of the MAC season

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University softball team, held to just one hit through 10 innings of Friday's (March 23) doubleheader vs. Ball State University, came through in a big way over the last two frames. The Falcons, after dropping the opener, 9-0, scored four times over the last two innings for a 4-2, come-from-behind win in the nightcap.

The Mid-American Conference doubleheader was held at Meserve Field on the first day of the conference season.

LINKS
BGSU-BSU STATISTICS: GAME 1 | GAME 2
GAME ONE PHOTO GALLERY: Larry Clapper
GAME TWO PHOTO GALLERY: Isaiah Vazquez, BGSU Mkt. & Comm.

Freshman Nikki Sorgi got the Falcons (17-11, 1-1 MAC) started with a leadoff single in the fifth inning of game two, and junior Alex Sorgi lined a ball into the left-field corner for a two-out triple that scored her sister from second base to cut BG's deficit in half.

Then, in the sixth inning, senior Aspen Searle led off with a double over the BSU centerfielder's head, and with two outs, Nikki Sorgi lined a single through the left side of the infield to tie the game. Then, after Logan Everett's scorcher over the third-base bag was ruled a foul ball, the sophomore came through with a two-run single later in the at-bat, scoring Sorgi and freshman Sarah Gonzalez.

Junior Brooke Parker, who allowed two unearned runs after a pair of BG errors in the first inning, blanked the Cardinals over the final six innings. She retired the final seven hitters she faced en route to the complete-game four-hitter.

Ball State (19-10, 1-1) got a complete-game one-hit shutout from Aeshia Miles in the opener. The Cards had nine hits, but BG pitchers walked 11 hitters and hit four more.

QUOTING COACH WILLIS
"We gave them too many free bases in the opening game, and we made a few errors to fall behind early in the second game. But, all you can do is move forward, play fearless and put it all out there. We did a great job of making the adjustments defensively, Brooke kept Ball State at bay for most of the (second) game, and the defense played well behind her."

"In game two, we focused on creating a plan at the plate. We didn't let other factors dictate anything, we just focused on what their pitchers were giving us and we capitalized on it over the last part of the game."

"Logan (Everett) has been doing a great job for us, both offensively and defensively, this year. After we briefly thought we got one run in on her hit, it was great to see her settle back down, continue to put together a great at-bat and come through to drive home two runs."

THEY SAID IT
Sophomore Logan Everett…
"We struggled at the plate in the first game and the beginning of the second. But, this year we are focusing on keeping our energy up, and I think it's really helping us to stay positive even when things aren't going our way."

"They changed pitchers right before (her sixth-inning at bat), so I decided that if I got a pitch anywhere near the zone I was going to take a hack at it. I thought the first pitch was it (on the hit that was ruled a foul ball), but they sent me back, and later in the at-bat she left one high and I was able to drive it. This was a great team win."

Freshman Nikki Sorgi…
"After my first at-bat, where I came up short, I just went up there thinking I need to make any adjustment I could. Coach talks about staying small and just trying to drive it up the middle. I was just thinking, hit the ball, and I was able to drive it up the middle. In my next at-bat I had pretty much the same mindset, but with runners on base I just wanted to get the ball out of the infield any way I can."

"Aspen (Searle) got us started with that double, and you can't ask for anything more than that when leading off an inning. Sarah (Gonzalez) put up a really good fight and had a great at-bat, and when the bat was put into my hands, I just wanted to build upon their at-bats and use their confidence to succeed in my own at-bat. Then, when I got that hit, I had no doubt that Logan would come up there and score us both, too. It was awesome to see Logan come through after her long at-bat and drive us both home."

GET THAT LEADOFF HITTER ON BASE

Ball State saw the leadoff hitter reach base in eight of Friday's first 11 innings, via three hits, two walks, two hit-by-pitches and one BG error. Four times, that player (or a pinch-runner for that player) came around to score.
Meanwhile, BGSU's leadoff hitter was retired in all six innings in the first game, and in three of the first four innings in the second game. BG failed to score in all 10 of those innings.
But, the Falcons would get the leadoff runner aboard in each of the team's final two innings of game two, as Nikki Sorgi singled to lead off the fifth and Aspen Searle doubled to begin the sixth. Both of those runners eventually scored, with Searle's run tying the game.
And, Brooke Parker struck out BSU's leadoff hitter in both the sixth and seventh innings of game two, leading to a one-two-three inning in each case.

BGSU-BALL STATE – HOW IT HAPPENED

Aeshia Miles threw a complete-game one-hit shutout in the opener, and BSU scored in four of the six innings to pull away.
Miles faced only two batters over the minimum, as BGSU's only baserunners came in the first two innings. Senior Aspen Searle was hit by a pitch with two outs in the first, while freshman Sarah Gonzalez reached on an infield single with two down in the second.
Ball State scored nine runs in six innings, but – believe it or not – the Cardinals actually left 14 runners on base. BSU had eight hits, and also reached base via 11 walks, four-hit-by-pitches and one BG error.
The Cardinals left the bases loaded in the first inning when BG starter Meredith Miller got Stacy Payton to hit an infield popup with two down. But, the visitors scored the only run they would need in the second.
That run came when Olivia Huffman singled with one out, and Haley Dominique doubled with two away to score Huffman from first.
Janae Hogg singled to begin a three-run third inning. With one out, Payton walked after battling Miller through a 10-pitch at-bat, and two more walks plated a run. An infield error allowed the BSU runners to move up 60 feet, and another base on balls gave the Cards a 4-0 lead.
In the fourth, a walk, a hit batter and an infield single loaded the bases with one out, and Madison Lee doubled to drive home a pair of teammates. The Falcons threw out a runner at the plate on the play, and got out of the inning without allowing further damage. But, the double gave the visitors a 6-0 lead.
Payton doubled to begin the sixth, and Katie Janiga's one-out hit scored a run. Then, after BSU loaded the bases with two away, back-to-back walks scored two more runs to complete the scoring.
Game two saw the Cardinals break on top early, with a pair of unearned runs in the first. Dominique reached on an infield error, and after a sacrifice bunt, Hogg walked and Maddy Labrador singled to score Dominique. Kennedy Wynn singled, and Hogg scored when Wynn's sinking liner landed just in front of lunging leftfielder Payton Hamm and caromed into foul ground. BG starter Brooke Parker bounced back to freeze Lee on a 2-2 pitch that retired the side, and the junior would allow only two more hits over the final six innings.
But, BSU starter Carolyn Wilmes did not allow a BG hit through the first four innings. She walked back-to-back batters (juniors Kali Holcomb and Kaylee Parker) to begin the second inning, but with runners at second and third after a Sarah Gonzalez sac bunt, Wilmes proceeded to get a strikeout and a popup that was caught by the third baseman.
Hamm walked in the bottom of the third, but Wilmes then struck out the next four Falcon batters, including all three BG hitters in the fourth.
Ball State got a runner as far as second in each of three-straight innings. In the third, a walk, a stolen base and another walk put two runners on with two down, before Parker got a strikeout.
The BSU fourth saw a leadoff HBP and a stolen base, but a popup to short and a fly ball to center ended that threat.
In the fifth, Hogg led off with a double off the wall, and after back-to-back popups to Searle at short, Payton drew a walk. But, Parker got a popup to second to begin that game-ending stretch of seven-straight batters retired.
The bottom of the inning saw Nikki Sorgi break up Wilmes' no-hit bid, lacing a single up the middle on the first pitch. Sorgi went to second on a grounder to the circle, but Wilmes struck out the next batter for the second out.
Alex Sorgi, however, smashed a ball between a diving third baseman and the bag, and the scorcher went all the way down the left-field line and rattled around in the corner. When the smoke cleared, Nikki Sorgi had scored easily and Alex Sorgi was standing on third base with a two-out triple.
Wilmes got a fly ball to center to end the inning, but Parker needed just six pitches to retire the Cardinals in the top of the sixth, and BG went back to work.
Searle lined a ball over the centerfielder's head and to the wall for a leadoff double, and Holcomb's sac bunt sent Searle to third. Kaylee Parker was retired, but not before lining three Wilmes pitches to left, but foul. Nevertheless, there were two outs.
Gonzalez worked Wilmes for a walk to put runners at the corners, and Nikki Sorgi slapped a single through the left side on the very next pitch, scoring Searle to tie the game.
Alyssa Rothwell entered the circle for the Cardinals, but sophomore Logan Everett ripped her third pitch past the third baseman and down the line. Everett reached second, Nikki Sorgi went to third and Gonzalez scored, but the hit was ruled a foul ball and the count went to 1-2.
Everett returned to the plate, and the next pitch was wild, putting the runners at second and third. She fouled off the next two pitches, took a ball for a full count, then singled to left-center, with both Gonzalez and Sorgi coming home to give the Falcons the lead for the first time all day.
The bottom of the inning saw Brooke Parker battle through several lengthy at-bats, but the junior won each battle as Hailey Demnianiuk struck out swinging, Hogg popped up to shortstop and Labrador hit a fly ball to right. Holcomb made the catch on the latter play, and BG had the win.

BGSU-BALL STATE STATS & LEADERS

Miles, as mentioned, allowed just one hit in her game-one shutout. She struck out 10 Falcons and did not walk a batter.
Miles needed just 85 pitches to earn the complete-game win. Meanwhile, BG's three pitchers threw a total of 203 pitches in the game. Miller suffered the loss with two-and-two-thirds innings of work, while junior Kiley Sosby threw three innings of relief. Freshman Madison French struck out the only batter she faced.
At the plate, Hogg and Payton each went 2-for-3, with Hogg also walking twice and Payton once. Dominique and Huffman each drove in two runs, and nine different players scored a run for the Cards.
Nikki Sorgi led the Falcons with a 2-for-3 effort in game two, scoring two runs and driving in a run.
Everett had a pair of RBI, while she, Searle and Alex Sorgi each had a hit.
Four different Cardinals had one hit apiece in the second game.
Brooke Parker picked up the complete-game win to improve to 8-5 on the year. She has topped her victory total for all of last season.
Parker allowed four hits, but no earned runs, in her victory. She walked four and struck out five. Parker threw 75 of her 124 pitches for strikes.
Wilmes took the loss, giving up four hits, but four runs, before leaving with two outs in the sixth. She walked four and struck out nine.
Rothwell allowed the hit to Everett before getting the final out of the sixth inning.

UP NEXT

The Falcons and Cardinals will conclude their three-game weekend series with a single game Saturday (March 24), beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Meserve Field.
The Ball State series marked the start of a seven-game homestand which also sees the Falcons face Fort Wayne on Wednesday (March 28) before meeting Western Michigan in a three-game series next weekend (March 30-31).

FOLLOW THE FALCONS

For more information on all things BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball), Instagram (@bgsu_softball) and Snapchat (BGSU Falcons) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.

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L, 0-12

Mar 24 (Sat)

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: MILES, Aeshia (10-4)

L: Miller, Meredith (8-5)

Ball State

Batting:

2B: DOMINIQUE, Haley 1 ; PAYTON, Stacy 1 ; LEE, Madison 1

RBI: DOMINIQUE, Haley 2 ; HOGG, Janae 1 ; LABRADOR, Maddy 1 ; LEE, Madison 2 ; HUFFMAN, Olivia 1 ; JANIGA, Katie 1

Base Running:

RUNS: DOMINIQUE, Haley 1 ; HOGG, Janae 1 ; CASTLEBERRY, Taylor 1 ; LABRADOR, Maddy 1 ; PAYTON, Stacy 1 ; O'DONNELL, Cadie 1 ; LEE, Madison 1 ; HUFFMAN, Olivia 1 ; JANIGA, Katie 1