Falcons, Rockets Split Friday DH

Friday, March 29

Bowling Green, OH

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

13-16, 1-3

Toledo

9-18, 1-3

Toledo

Bowling Green

Alex Sorgi scores BG's first run in Friday's opening game

Photo by: Larry Clapper

March 29, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 BGSU-Toledo Game One Box Score BGSU-Toledo Game Two Box Score BGSU-Toledo Photo Gallery (Larry Clapper)

Miller earns complete-game win in the opener

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Senior Meredith Miller picked up a complete-game victory, allowing just one earned run as the Bowling Green State University softball team posted a 3-2 win over the University of Toledo on Friday afternoon (March 29).

The visiting Rockets rebounded in the second game of the teams' Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Meserve Field, using a pair of big innings to down the Falcons, 13-4.

🚨🚨 SCHEDULE CHANGE🚨🚨
Due to the weather forecast, the final game of the BGSU-UT series has been moved back a day. The Falcons and Rockets will wrap up the series on Sunday (March 31) at 2:00 p.m at Meserve Field.

Miller scattered six hits and walked just one batter in the opener, striking out nine. After the Rockets scored a first-inning run, BG bounced right back with two runs in the bottom of the first, then took a 3-1 lead in the fourth.

UT broke on top with a six-run second inning in the nightcap, and after the Falcons cut that lead in half, the visitors scored twice in the sixth and five more times in the seventh to pull away.

Senior Kellie Natham homered and drove in three of BG's runs in the nightcap, while junior Taylor Blevins had two hits in each game. Junior Madi McCoy, like Natham, hit a solo homer in game two.

BGSU-TOLEDO GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Rockets took an early lead with an unearned run against Meredith Miller in the top of the first. Megan Choate doubled with one out, and Katie Cozy reached on an infield error. A ground ball to the right side advanced both runners, and back-to-back batters, Kaitlyn Bergman and Aubrey Reed, reached base via hit-by-pitch, with Choate scoring on the latter play.
• But, the Falcons bounced right back, scoring two runs off of UT starter Erin Hunt in the bottom of the inning. Senior Alex Sorgi reached on an error, and a bunt single by junior Taylor Blevins was followed by classmate Madi McCoy's infield hit that loaded the bases. Sorgi scored on a wild pitch, and sophomore Nikki Sorgi was hit by a pitch to reload the bases.
• One batter later, junior Evelyn Loyola drew a walk to force Blevins home with the go-ahead run. Hunt struck out the next two batters to avoid further damage, but the Falcons had the lead.
• UT left a pair of runners on base in the second, as two-out hits by Kylie Norwood and Choate were not enough to tie the game. The Rockets put two runners on in the third inning as well, but those runners were stranded at first and second.
• The Falcons added to the lead in the fourth. Freshman Marissa Mullen led off with a single off of the glove of diving second baseman Choate, and a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Sarah Gonzales sent classmate Payton Hamm to second. One out later, Alex Sorgi drew a walk before Blevins singled to plate Hamm for a two-run BG advantage.
• Miller retired the Rockets in order in the fifth, striking out Bergman and Reed to end the inning. Nikki Sorgi was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the inning, and Mullen drew a walk, but Hunt got out of the frame unscathed.
• In the sixth, Raelyn Nyren led off with a walk, but Miller got Ami Ill to hit a foul pop to Gonzalez at third, and Blevins made a nice running catch of a Brianna Robeson drive in foul territory down the left-field line. Norwood followed with a double to the wall in center, scoring Nyren from first, but Miller threw a called third strike past Choate to end the inning.
• BG looked to add to the lead in the home half of the sixth, as senior Kali Holcomb led off with a sharp single to left, and McCoy won an 11-pitch battle with Hunt, drawing a two-out walk. But, the UT hurler got an inning-ending strikeout to send the game to the seventh.
• In that seventh inning, Miller struck out Cozy, and centerfielder Alex Sorgi made a nifty running catch of a Bekah Yenrich drive in left-center, despite colliding with Blevins. Then, Miller induced Bergman to hit a soft liner directly at Blevins in left, ending the contest.

BGSU-TOLEDO GAME ONE STATS & LEADERS
• Toledo had a narrow 6-5 advantage in hits. The teams combined to leave 19 runners on base (10 for BGSU, nine by the Rockets).
• Blevins went 2-for-4 to lead the Falcons, scoring a run and driving in a run.
• McCoy and Mullen each had a hit and a walk, while Nikki Sorgi reached base three times, being plunked by a pair of pitches and drawing a walk.
• Loyola drew a walk and had an RBI, while Holcomb had a base hit in the win.
• For the Rockets, Norwood was 3-for-4, while Choate went 2-for-4. Norwood doubled twice and Choate once.
• Miller picked up the complete-game win, allowing just one earned run and six hits. The senior walked only one batter while striking out nine.
• Hunt suffered the loss, allowing three runs (just one earned) and five hits in six innings. She issued five walks, but struck out 12.

BGSU-TOLEDO GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• Starting pitchers Maggie McGurk and Brooke Parker each faced the minimum three batters in the first inning. Parker worked a 1-2-3 inning, while McGurk allowed a single by Blevins, but followed that up with a double-play ball.
• In the second, the Rockets took control, scoring six times. Reed gave the visitors the lead with a bases-loaded single through the left side of the BG infield, and Norwood had a two-out, two-run single before Choate's three-run homer to left doubled the UT lead.
• The Falcons left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second. Nikki Sorgi walked and Loyola singled, and after McGurk retired the next two hitters, a walk to Gonzalez loaded the bases. But, a strikeout ended the inning.
• Parker worked a perfect third inning, and the Falcons then cut into the UT lead. Alex Sorgi reached on an infield error, and an infield single by Blevins put two runners on. McCoy's drive was caught in deep right-center field, but both runners tagged and advanced a base. Then, one out later, Loyola drew a walk, and senior Kellie Natham followed with a single up the middle that plated both Sorgi and Blevins and chased McGurk in favor of game-one starter Hunt. Hunt issued a walk to Mullen to reload the bases, but got a grounder to the left side that resulted in an inning-ending force play at third.
• In the fifth, UT loaded the bases with one out, but Parker struck out pinch-hitter Samantha Golden, then got Reed to hit a ground ball to Gonzalez, who stepped on the third-base bag for the third out.
• Natham turned on a Hunt pitch and homered to left with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, and Mullen followed with a scorcher that ticked off of diving first baseman Nyren's glove and caromed into foul territory down the line for a double. But, Hunt induced the next BG hitter to pop up for the third out.
• UT responded in the sixth, with a Cozy double highlighting a two-run inning. Sophomore Madison French entered the game with one down, facing two batters and getting two outs. She ended the inning with a strikeout of Yenrick, but the Rockets had an 8-3 lead.
• And, the visitors broke the game wide open in the seventh. That five-run inning saw Reed, Taylor Weekly and Norwood come up with RBI singles, and Choate's double scored two teammates.
• McCoy led off the BG seventh with a home run to left, but Hunt retired the next three Falcons to close out the win.

BGSU-TOLEDO GAME TWO STATS & LEADERS
• Five Rockets had two hits apiece as Toledo held a 12-7 advantage in that category. Choate had a double, a homer and five RBI, while Norwood drove in three runs.
• Six different UT players, including Choate and Norwood, scored two runs each.
• Natham and Blevins each went 2-for-4 for the Falcons, with Natham driving in three of BG's four runs. McCoy had a solo homer, while Loyola and Mullen each added a hit.
• Hunt earned the win in relief for the visitors, allowing two runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. McGurk allowed two runs – both unearned – before leaving the game with two outs in the third. Both UT pitchers had three strikeouts, with McGurk walking three batters and Hunt two.
• Parker, the first of three BG pitchers, suffered the loss.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons and Rockets will complete their three-game weekend series on Sunday (March 31). The teams are scheduled to play a single game, beginning at 2:00 p.m., at Meserve Field.
• Then, the Brown and Orange will host Miami in a Tuesday (April 2) doubleheader at Meserve, with game one beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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