Miller Pitches a Gem as Falcons Top Ball State, 4-1

Friday, April 5

Muncie, IN

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

14-19, 2-6

Ball State

26-12, 4-2

Bowling Green

Ball State

Meredith Miller at Purdue Fort Wayne - March 27 2019

Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications

April 05, 2019 | Softball

Box Score BGSU-BSU Box Score

Senior fires a complete-game two-hitter on the road against the preseason MAC favorite

By: MUNCIE, Ind. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Senior Meredith Miller pitched a gem, and classmate Alex Sorgi came through with a clutch hit as the Bowling Green State University softball team downed Ball State University, 4-1, Friday afternoon (April 5). The game, the opening contest in the teams' Mid-American Conference weekend series, was held at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.

Miller threw a complete-game two-hitter on the road against the preseason MAC favorite, while Sorgi's two-out, two-run double capped a four-run second inning for the Falcons, now 14-19 overall and 2-6 in the MAC.

After allowing a run-scoring double with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Miller did not surrender another hit until the seventh.

For BSU (26-12, 4-2 MAC) starting pitcher Sarah Venker pitched a stellar game as well, but was victimized by a throwing error in the second inning. That error enabled BG to tie the game at 1-1, and a passed ball gave the Falcons the lead before Sorgi laced a ball down the left-field line to plate two more runs.

Miller surrendered a two-out, pinch-hit double in the seventh. But, she got the next hitter to fly out to right to end the game. The victory was Miller's 10th of the season.

BGSU-BALL STATE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• Starting pitchers Meredith Miller and Sarah Venker each recorded a masterful performance in the circle on Friday, allowing a total of just five hits between them.
• Venker walked Alex Sorgi to begin the game, but the speedy Falcon senior was caught stealing as Venker wound up facing only three batters in the inning.
• The bottom of the first inning saw Haley Dominique lead off with a walk before Miller induced both Stacy Payton and Kendall Fields to hit popups that were caught by BG infielders.
• But, after Dominique stole second, Amaia Daniel brought her home with a double to center field. Miller responded by striking out Mackenzie McCarty to end the inning, and the BG offense would respond in the second.
• Senior Kellie Natham was hit by a pitch to begin that second frame, and sophomore Payton Hamm laid down a sacrifice bunt. Both Hamm and pinch-runner Kathleen Shier were safe as the Ball State third baseman's throw to first was wild and went all the way into the right-field corner. Shier came around to score, and Hamm wound up on third.
• The next batter, freshman Marissa Mullen, drew a walk, and the ball-four pitch got away from the catcher, with Hamm sliding home ahead of Venker's tag attempt.
• Junior Evelyn Loyola lined a single to right, moving pinch-hitter Kendyl Wheeler to second, and a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Sarah Gonzalez moved Wheeler to third and pinch-runner Kali Holcomb to second.
• The Cardinals got the second out on a slow roller to the left side, and the runners were forced to hold. But, Alex Sorgi then lined a ball between third baseman Payton and the bag, and the ball went down the left-field line as both Wheeler and Holcomb came around to score.
• And, as it turned out, those four runs would be more than enough for Miller and the BG defense. The BG senior worked a 1-2-3 second inning, striking out two batters, before allowing a leadoff walk to Kim Manuel in the third. Manuel quickly stole second, and tagged and advanced to third on a fly ball to center. But, BG third baseman Madeline Dyer grabbed a grounder off the bat of Fields and threw to Natham at first for the third out.
• Miller retired eight-straight batters before walking Manuel with two outs in the fifth, but she got the next hitter, Dominique, to hit a grounder up the middle. Shortstop Gonzalez ranged to her left, grabbed the ball and quickly flipped it to second baseman Nikki Sorgi for and inning-ending force play.
• The Cardinals got a pair of baserunners in the sixth, bringing the tying run to the plate after a one-out walk to Katie Janiga and a two-out free pass to McCarty. But, Miller threw a called third strike past Kennedy Wynn to send the game to the seventh.
• Meanwhile, Venker set down the Falcons in order in the third and fourth innings, before junior Taylor Blevins singled with two outs in the fifth. But, a strikeout ended that inning.
• The BG sixth saw Natham draw a walk and take second on Hamm's second sac bunt of the afternoon. Natham advanced to third on Mullen's ground out, but another infield grounder produced the third out.
• After Venker worked a perfect seventh inning, the Cardinals sent three-straight pinch-hitters to the plate in the bottom of the inning. Miller struck out the first, Faith Hensley, then got the second, Trinity Eckerty, to ground out to Nikki Sorgi at second.
• The third pinch-hitter in that sequence was Janae Hogg, and she lined the first pitch she saw off of the wall in center for a two-out double. But, Miller got the next hitter, Dominique, to lift a fly ball to right field for the game-ending out.

BGSU-BALL STATE STATS & LEADERS
• The Falcons had a slim 3-2 advantage in hits on the day. But, BG left just three runners on base to the Cardinals' six.
• No player had more than one hit. Alex Sorgi had the big blow for the Falcons, as she was 1-for-3 with a two-out, two-run double in the first. Sorgi also drew a walk against Venker.
• Blevins and Loyola each singled for the Falcons, while Natham and Mullen both drew walks. Three of BG's four runs were scored by pinch-runners, in Shier, Wheeler and Holcomb, while Hamm also crossed the plate.
• Both of Ball State's hits were doubles, by Daniel in the first and Hogg in the seventh. Manuel walked twice in the game, while Dominique walked and scored BSU's only run.
• Miller allowed just one run and two hits in the complete-game victory. She did walk five batters, but also struck out five.
• Venker allowed just one earned run and three hits in her complete-game effort, but dropped to 12-3 on the year. She walked three players and fanned seven.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons and Cardinals are scheduled to conclude their three-game weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday (April 6). The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., and both games will be streamed via ESPN3.

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.