Falcons Take Two From NIU In Thrilling Fashion

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team swept Northern Illinois University on Saturday (May 29) in a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Steller Field at Gary Haas Stadium. After completing a six-run comeback to earn a 10-9 walk-off win in the opener, the Falcons completed the sweep with a 7-0 victory in the night cap. BGSU has won five-straight games to improve to 17-21 in league play.

Prior to the games, the Falcons honored former skipper Danny Schmitz, who won 723 games at the helm of the program from 1990-2020. The pre-game ceremony took place on the diamond, recognizing the program's all-time leader in wins for 30 outstanding years of service to the entire Bowling Green community.

The Falcons overcame the big deficit in the opener with a five-run fifth inning. With two strikes and two outs, Ryan Johnston gave BGSU a 9-8 lead with a two-RBI double. Johnston's clutch hit capped the five-run fifth and allowed Bowling Green to take the lead by scoring seven unanswered runs.

NIU tied the game in the top of the seventh with a solo home run, but Nathan Rose walked the Falcons off in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly into left field. Jeremy Spezia earned the win on the mound by tossing a scoreless seventh in relief.

It was all Bowling Green in the night cap, as the Falcons scored five runs in the fourth to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The Orange and Brown tacked on a run in the fifth to cruise to the sweep. Will MacLean tossed three scoreless innings to pick up his fourth save of the season. MacLean – who took over for southpaw Rigo Ramos – struck out four. Ramos scattered five hits while blanking the Huskies over six innings. Ramos racked up three punch outs.

Kyle Gurney was the lone Falcon with multiple hits in both ballgames. Gurney is now on a 14-game hitting streak, and has also drove in at least one run in eight-straight games. After posting 12 hits in the first game of the day, the Bowling Green offense made it an even 20 hits on the day by pounding out eight more knocks in the finale.

The Falcons head into the final day of the season with an overall record of 19-29. Sunday's (May 30) doubleheader is set for an 11:05 a.m. first pitch.

🚨𝙒𝘼𝙇𝙆-𝙊𝙁𝙁 𝙒𝙄𝙉🚨@nathan_rose2 lifts a sacrifice fly and the Falcons win a wild one over NIU in the series opener!!! BGSU overcomes an 8-2 deficit to earn a 10-9 victory!!! #AyZiggy // #Operation419 pic.twitter.com/VScP55B2N3
— Bowling Green Baseball (@BGSU_Baseball) May 29, 2021

COACH HALLOCK QUOTE
"Two very impressive wins in two very different fashions by our players today. To be down like we were in Game 1 and rally back shows a breakthrough in the level of mental toughness our players are reaching at this point in the season. It would have been very easy for us to cash in Game 1 and look forward to Game 2, but our offense wouldn't allow that. Those at bats were legendary up and down the lineup. And our bullpen found a way to minimize damage late in the game and roll the necessary zeros to get us a win. Game 2 was very efficient on both sides of the ball. We received great pitching, played good enough defense and took advantage of opportunities that were given to us and others that we created ourselves. All in all, it was a great day to be a BGSU Falcon. We have two more left to finish off the season and hopefully we can do it in style."

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Tyler Ross

Dylan Dohanos

Kyle Gurney

Adam Furnas

Players Mentioned

Kyle Gurney

Ryan Johnston

Will MacLean

Rigo Ramos

Nathan Rose

Jeremy Spezia

Players Mentioned

Kyle Gurney

Ryan Johnston

Will MacLean

Rigo Ramos

Nathan Rose

Jeremy Spezia

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