Falcons Top UTSA in Final Game in Lubbock

Sunday, March 4

Lubbock, TX

11:30 AM ET

Bowling Green State University

11-4

UTSA

10-8

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

Laine Simmons v Miami - Apr 4 2017 G1 - Amanda Cutcher photo

March 04, 2018 | Softball

Box Score

Simmons homers, Miller fires three-hitter and whiffs 13

By: LUBBOCK, Texas (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Laine Simmons homered and Meredith Miller fired a complete-game three-hitter as the Bowling Green State University softball team topped UTSA, 3-1, on Sunday (March 4). The game, the Falcons' final contest in the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic, was held at Rocky Johnson Park.

Simmons gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead with her first homer of the season in the bottom of the third inning. After the Roadrunners tied the game on a Bailee Baldwin homer in the top of the fifth inning, BG responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

LINKS
BGSU-UTSA STATISTICS: PDF

After allowing the Baldwin homer, Miller retired the final eight hitters of the game. She struck out 13 batters to tie her career-high total.

Simmons' homer was her first as a Falcon, but the sixth of her collegiate career. She is in her second year at BGSU after playing two seasons at Morehead State. She became the seventh different BGSU player this season – and the sixth this weekend – to hit a round-tripper.

QUOTING COACH WILLIS
"Meredith pitched a great game for us today, and kept the UTSA hitters off balance all day long. At the plate, we had some timely hitting, and we capitalized on UTSA's throwing mistake late in the game."

BGSU-UTSA – HOW IT HAPPENED

The Roadrunners mounted the first scoring threat in the second inning, after both teams were retired in order in the first. A one-out single and a two-out walk were followed by a hit-by-pitch, loading the bases for UTSA. But, junior Meredith Miller struck out Abigail Haston to end the inning. Miller had five strikeouts over the first two frames.
UTSA got a single and a stolen base in the third inning, but a grounder to first baseman Kaylee Parker ended the frame.
After UTSA starting pitcher Madison Nelson retired the first seven Falcons she faced, senior Laine Simmons drove a pitch over the wall in left field, giving the Brown and Orange a 1-0 lead.
Miller worked out of a one-out jam in the fourth. A walk and a fielder's choice put a pair of Roadrunners aboard with one out, and a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position. But, Miller responded by striking out each of the next two hitters.
Freshman Sammy Dees walked, and senior Aspen Searle was hit by a pitch to give BG a pair of runners with none out in the bottom of the fourth. But, a fielder's choice erased Dees, a popup produced the second out (although Searle tagged and went to third), and a fly ball to center retired the side.
Miller struck out the first batter of the fifth, but Bailee Baldwin's solo homer tied the game.
In the home half of the inning though, BG took the lead for good. Simmons walked with one out, but pinch-runner Taylor Blevins was forced at second on a grounder off the bat of Hannah Giammarino. With two outs, junior Alex Sorgi laid down a bunt, and the third baseman's throw was wild. When the smoke cleared, Giammarino had come all the way around to score from first base, and Sorgi was standing on third. Sorgi then scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead.
And, those two unearned runs proved to be one more than Miller needed. The junior fanned the first two batters of the sixth before third baseman Sarah Gonzalez grabbed a popup in foul ground to retire the side.
In the seventh, a strikeout, a popup to Searle at shortstop and a fly ball to Giammarino in left retired the side in order.

BGSU-UTSA LEADERS

Each team had only three hits in the game. Baldwin was 2-for-3 for the Roadrunners, while Rylee Rodriguez had a single and a walk.
For the Falcons, Simmons had the homer and a walk in her only two plate appearances, while Dees and Alex Sorgi also had hits.
Miller allowed only one run and three hits in her complete-game three-hitter. She threw 82 of her 125 pitches for strikes, walking two batters and tying her career best with 13 strikeouts.
For her part, Nelson allowed just one earned run and three hits in a complete-game performance. She walked one Falcon and struck out two.

UP NEXT

The Falcons remain in Texas, heading to Abilene for a Tuesday (March 6) doubleheader vs. Abilene Christian. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. ET).
Then, BGSU will take part in the University of Memphis Tournament next weekend. BGSU will play single games against Indiana State, Mississippi Valley State, Tennessee State, Butler, and the host school in that three-day tourney (March 9-11).

JEANNINE McHANEY MEMORIAL CLASSIC
Friday, March 2
UTSA 7, Bowling Green 3
UTSA 3, New Mexico 2
New Mexico 14, Texas Tech 13 (10 innings)
Texas Tech 3, Bowling Green 2

Saturday, March 3
Bowling Green 7, New Mexico 3
Texas Tech 6, Bowling Green 5
Texas Tech 5, UTSA 0
UTSA 8, New Mexico 0 (5 innings)

Sunday, March 4
Bowling Green 3, UTSA 1
Texas Tech 8, New Mexico 1

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