Saturday, May 8
DeKalb, Ill.
2:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
25-26, 17-19
5
at
9
Northern Illinois
19-30, 13-20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Bowling Green
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
5
8
3
Northern Illinois
6
2
0
0
0
1
X
9
7
1
Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics
McCoy Keeps Mashing as Falcons Win Series at NIU
May 08, 2021 | Softball
Senior slugger hits two more homers in Sunday's second game
DeKALB, Ill. – Madi McCoy continued her red-hot hitting on Saturday (May 8), with two more homers as the Bowling Green State University softball team posted a 6-2 win over Northern Illinois University.
The win gave the Falcons (26-26, 18-19 MAC) a split of Saturday's Mid-American Conference doubleheader, and BGSU captured three games in the four-game weekend series with the Huskies (19-31, 13-21 MAC) at Mary M. Bell Field.
In Saturday's opener, the hosts scored eight times in the first two innings en route to a 9-5 win.
McCoy hit an eye-popping .688 in the NIU series, going 11-of-16. Eight of those 11 hits went for extra bases, as she had four doubles and four homers, and McCoy had a 1.688 slugging percentage in the four games.
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NOTEWORTHY
• Madi McCoy's two-homer game in Saturday's nightcap was her second in as many days, and her third in the last 10 days.
• Additionally, McCoy's two-homer contest was the fourth of her career. She is only the second player in school history – joining Hayley Wiemer – with four such games.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY
(Note about the notes: This was the note we had planned to use for the 'noteworthy' note, before McCoy homered twice to seal the game-two win)
• Madi McCoy, who was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate in Friday's second game, reached base in 10 consecutive plate appearances before finally being retired.
• In Saturday's opener, she doubled in the first inning, walked in the fourth, reached on an error in the sixth and doubled again in the seventh.
• In the second game of the day, McCoy had an RBI single in the first inning before hitting a line drive to right field in the third. The latter ball, however, was caught to end her prolific streak.
QUOTING COACH WILLIS
"We came out flat in game one, and it showed as their offense jumped on us early in the first inning. The NIU offense was heads up and they caught us sleeping a couple of times which allowed them to continue to get into scoring position. We showed good fight in the fifth inning to prevent the run rule from going into effect, and in the sixth, we put up some more runs and saw major contributions from L'Esperance and McCoy at the plate. We just ran out of innings to play."
"I was proud to see how our defense and offense came out in the second game. They did a great job turning around and creating momentum for us early. Payton Gottshall did a nice job in the second game, coming back with a strong performance. The offensive performance by McCoy was outstanding as she came in clutch with runners in scoring position and took accountability for most of our runs scored."
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"Overall, the series against NIU was one of our best offensive performances of the year."
BGSU-NIU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• In the top of the first, Madi McCoy doubled to center – her sixth hit in her last six at-bats dating to Friday's second game – but she was stranded there.
• In the bottom of the inning, NIU got a leadoff walk, but Payton Gottshall got the first two outs on a fielder's choice and a strikeout. With James on second, however, Kelly Walinski hit a popup to the outfield grass behind second base, and a BG fielder appeared to lose sight of the ball. It dropped to the ground for a run-scoring single, and the inning continued.
• And, NIU took full advantage of the extra out, scoring five more runs before BG could get off the field. Bianca Barone doubled and Sam Mallinder followed with a two-run homer to left as two of the Huskies' four hits in the inning.
• The second inning saw the Huskie defense make back-to-back plays to keep BG off of the bases. NIU pitcher Mackenzie Bryan ice-cream-coned a one-hopper back through the circle by Peyton Dolejs, throwing to first in time for the second out. Then, centerfielder Amberly Rodriguez made a diving catch of a Logan Everett drive in right-center to end the inning.
• In the bottom of the second, NIU added to the lead on a two-run homer by Katie Keller. Keller came all the way around to  as BGSU leftfielder Dolejs was injured when she hit the fence in an attempt to make the catch.
• BGSU got back-to-back hits in the top of the third, as Greta L'Esperance and Sammy Dees each singled, but the Falcons could not get on the board.
• After NIU's leadoff runner reached via error in the bottom of the inning, the Falcons turned a double play, and Davies got the next hitter to hit a lazy foul pop to left.
• McCoy drew a fourth-inning walk, reaching base for the seventh-straight plate appearance. And, in the fifth, four Falcons reached base in all. The fourth was L'Esperance, who lined a ball over the head of a flailing NIU leftfielder for a two-out, two-run double. Sarah Gonzalez and Marlie McNulty scored on the play, which came when one more out would have given the Huskies a run-rule win.
• BGSU loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, on an NIU error and a pair of walks. Bryan got a strikeout for the second out, but Gonzalez drilled a ball past the third baseman and into left, with McCoy and Nikki Sorgi scoring. Then, McNulty hit a liner to the left side as well. The third baseman, Izzy Smith, got her glove on the ball with a lunging effort, but could not keep McNulty from reaching on an infield single, with Makailah Dees crossing the plate.
• After the inside-the-park homer in the second inning, the only baserunners Davies allowed while recording the next 13 outs both came via errors. She issued a one-out walk in the sixth, and a two-out single on a nubber to the right side, before a liner by Carley Goetschius plated a run to give NIU a 9-5 lead.
• In the seventh, McCoy blistered a ball off of the wall in center for a double, reaching base for the ninth consecutive plate appearance, and Sorgi drew a walk, but the Huskies were able to get a game-ending double play.
BGSU-NIU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• BGSU jumped on top with a pair of runs against NIU starter Claire Norred in the first. The first three Falcons reached base, as L'Esperance, Sammy Dees and McCoy all singled. McCoy's hit – the 10th-straight plate appearance in which she reached base, if you're keeping track – plated L'Esperance, and when McCoy took second on the throw home, Dees scored on the throw to second.
• Gottshall, after a rocky start in Saturday's first game, retired the first two Huskies in game two. Keller walked on the 10th pitch of her at-bat, but Gottshall got Walinski to ground out on the very next pitch.
• Both teams went in order in the second inning, with Makailah Dees getting a nice jump on a ball and making a catch in foul ground down the left-field line to end the frame.
• A L'Esperance single was the only baserunner for either team in the third inning. In the fourth, Logan Everett lined a ball back up the middle for a two-out single, and Gonzalez drew a walk, but Norred escaped the jam.
• Gottshall did not allow a hit through three innings, but Rodriguez began the NIU fourth by beating out a roller to the left side of the infield, and Keller followed with a single as well. But, Walinski popped up a bunt attempt, Sorgi made a nice stop of Barone's grounder and Gottshall struck out Mallinder.
• In the Huskie fifth, Megan Guericke singled with one out, and Goetschius walked to put two runners aboard. But, a ground ball to Sorgi produced a force play at second, and Gottshall got Rodriguez to hit a popup that Gonzalez grabbed near third base.
• McCoy led off the sixth inning with a homer to center, putting the Falcons on top by three runs. It was her third round-tripper and seventh extra-base hit in the series.
• Sorgi followed with a sharp single up the middle, and Maycee Godbolt's pinch-hit double put two runners in scoring position and chased Norred from the game. Delaney Ostrowski came on and retired the next three hitters to avoid further damage for the Huskies.
• Keller led off the NIU half of the sixth with a double, the home team's first extra-base hit of the game. One out later, Barone's single put runners at the corners, and Mallinder's sacrifice fly got the Huskies on the board. But, Gottshall got pinch-hitter Kira Mickelson to lift a lazy fly ball to shallow center, and L'Esperance made the catch for the third out.
• L'Esperance drew a one-out walk in the seventh, and an infield error allowed Sammy Dees to reach base. Then, for the second-straight inning, McCoy proceed to deposit a ball beyond the outfield fence. This time, the ball was hit a little left of center, and this homer gave the Orange and Brown a 6-1 lead.
• Despite McCoy's homer(s), the bottom of the seventh was not drama-free for the Falcons. The first two Huskies reached via a walk and an error, respectively. Gottshall struck out James, then got Rodriguez to ground out on the very next pitch. Keller walked, and Gottshall and Walinski battled through a lengthy at-bat, with Walinski drawing a base on balls to bring the tying run to the plate.
• But, with a 3-1 count on Barone, Gottshall got the NIU first baseman to hit a looper to McCoy at short for the final out.
STATS, LEADERS & NOTES
• Both teams had seven hits in the opener.
• Davies, the third of three BGSU pitchers in Saturday's first game, pitched well. She allowed three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
• Bryan picked up the complete-game win for the Huskies, allowing five runs (two earned) and seven hits. She walked six and struck out four.
• At the plate, McCoy and L'Esperance each had two hits for the Falcons. McCoy was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run, giving her seven hits (including four doubles and two homers) over the last two games.
• L'Esperance was 2-for-4 with two RBI in Saturday's opener.
• For the Huskies, seven different players had one hit apiece.
• McCoy was 3-for-4 in game two, with her third and fourth homers of the weekend. She drove in five runs in the nightcap.
• The top three hitters in the batting order – L'Esperance, Sammy Dees and McCoy – scored two runs apiece. L'Esperance was 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Keller was 2-for-2 with two walks for the Huskies in game two.
• Gottshall allowed one earned run and five hits. She walked five but struck out five as well.
• Norred suffered the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings. Ostrowski also gave up three runs (two earned) in two innings of relief.
• BGSU had a 9-5 advantage in the hits department in game two.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons head to Kalamazoo for a Wednesday (May 12) doubleheader vs. Western Michigan. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 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.
HASHTAG
#AyZiggy
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The win gave the Falcons (26-26, 18-19 MAC) a split of Saturday's Mid-American Conference doubleheader, and BGSU captured three games in the four-game weekend series with the Huskies (19-31, 13-21 MAC) at Mary M. Bell Field.
In Saturday's opener, the hosts scored eight times in the first two innings en route to a 9-5 win.
McCoy hit an eye-popping .688 in the NIU series, going 11-of-16. Eight of those 11 hits went for extra bases, as she had four doubles and four homers, and McCoy had a 1.688 slugging percentage in the four games.
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NOTEWORTHY
• Madi McCoy's two-homer game in Saturday's nightcap was her second in as many days, and her third in the last 10 days.
• Additionally, McCoy's two-homer contest was the fourth of her career. She is only the second player in school history – joining Hayley Wiemer – with four such games.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY
(Note about the notes: This was the note we had planned to use for the 'noteworthy' note, before McCoy homered twice to seal the game-two win)
• Madi McCoy, who was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate in Friday's second game, reached base in 10 consecutive plate appearances before finally being retired.
• In Saturday's opener, she doubled in the first inning, walked in the fourth, reached on an error in the sixth and doubled again in the seventh.
• In the second game of the day, McCoy had an RBI single in the first inning before hitting a line drive to right field in the third. The latter ball, however, was caught to end her prolific streak.
QUOTING COACH WILLIS
"We came out flat in game one, and it showed as their offense jumped on us early in the first inning. The NIU offense was heads up and they caught us sleeping a couple of times which allowed them to continue to get into scoring position. We showed good fight in the fifth inning to prevent the run rule from going into effect, and in the sixth, we put up some more runs and saw major contributions from L'Esperance and McCoy at the plate. We just ran out of innings to play."
"I was proud to see how our defense and offense came out in the second game. They did a great job turning around and creating momentum for us early. Payton Gottshall did a nice job in the second game, coming back with a strong performance. The offensive performance by McCoy was outstanding as she came in clutch with runners in scoring position and took accountability for most of our runs scored."
Â
"Overall, the series against NIU was one of our best offensive performances of the year."
BGSU-NIU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• In the top of the first, Madi McCoy doubled to center – her sixth hit in her last six at-bats dating to Friday's second game – but she was stranded there.
• In the bottom of the inning, NIU got a leadoff walk, but Payton Gottshall got the first two outs on a fielder's choice and a strikeout. With James on second, however, Kelly Walinski hit a popup to the outfield grass behind second base, and a BG fielder appeared to lose sight of the ball. It dropped to the ground for a run-scoring single, and the inning continued.
• And, NIU took full advantage of the extra out, scoring five more runs before BG could get off the field. Bianca Barone doubled and Sam Mallinder followed with a two-run homer to left as two of the Huskies' four hits in the inning.
• The second inning saw the Huskie defense make back-to-back plays to keep BG off of the bases. NIU pitcher Mackenzie Bryan ice-cream-coned a one-hopper back through the circle by Peyton Dolejs, throwing to first in time for the second out. Then, centerfielder Amberly Rodriguez made a diving catch of a Logan Everett drive in right-center to end the inning.
• In the bottom of the second, NIU added to the lead on a two-run homer by Katie Keller. Keller came all the way around to  as BGSU leftfielder Dolejs was injured when she hit the fence in an attempt to make the catch.
• BGSU got back-to-back hits in the top of the third, as Greta L'Esperance and Sammy Dees each singled, but the Falcons could not get on the board.
• After NIU's leadoff runner reached via error in the bottom of the inning, the Falcons turned a double play, and Davies got the next hitter to hit a lazy foul pop to left.
• McCoy drew a fourth-inning walk, reaching base for the seventh-straight plate appearance. And, in the fifth, four Falcons reached base in all. The fourth was L'Esperance, who lined a ball over the head of a flailing NIU leftfielder for a two-out, two-run double. Sarah Gonzalez and Marlie McNulty scored on the play, which came when one more out would have given the Huskies a run-rule win.
• BGSU loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, on an NIU error and a pair of walks. Bryan got a strikeout for the second out, but Gonzalez drilled a ball past the third baseman and into left, with McCoy and Nikki Sorgi scoring. Then, McNulty hit a liner to the left side as well. The third baseman, Izzy Smith, got her glove on the ball with a lunging effort, but could not keep McNulty from reaching on an infield single, with Makailah Dees crossing the plate.
• After the inside-the-park homer in the second inning, the only baserunners Davies allowed while recording the next 13 outs both came via errors. She issued a one-out walk in the sixth, and a two-out single on a nubber to the right side, before a liner by Carley Goetschius plated a run to give NIU a 9-5 lead.
• In the seventh, McCoy blistered a ball off of the wall in center for a double, reaching base for the ninth consecutive plate appearance, and Sorgi drew a walk, but the Huskies were able to get a game-ending double play.
BGSU-NIU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• BGSU jumped on top with a pair of runs against NIU starter Claire Norred in the first. The first three Falcons reached base, as L'Esperance, Sammy Dees and McCoy all singled. McCoy's hit – the 10th-straight plate appearance in which she reached base, if you're keeping track – plated L'Esperance, and when McCoy took second on the throw home, Dees scored on the throw to second.
• Gottshall, after a rocky start in Saturday's first game, retired the first two Huskies in game two. Keller walked on the 10th pitch of her at-bat, but Gottshall got Walinski to ground out on the very next pitch.
• Both teams went in order in the second inning, with Makailah Dees getting a nice jump on a ball and making a catch in foul ground down the left-field line to end the frame.
• A L'Esperance single was the only baserunner for either team in the third inning. In the fourth, Logan Everett lined a ball back up the middle for a two-out single, and Gonzalez drew a walk, but Norred escaped the jam.
• Gottshall did not allow a hit through three innings, but Rodriguez began the NIU fourth by beating out a roller to the left side of the infield, and Keller followed with a single as well. But, Walinski popped up a bunt attempt, Sorgi made a nice stop of Barone's grounder and Gottshall struck out Mallinder.
• In the Huskie fifth, Megan Guericke singled with one out, and Goetschius walked to put two runners aboard. But, a ground ball to Sorgi produced a force play at second, and Gottshall got Rodriguez to hit a popup that Gonzalez grabbed near third base.
• McCoy led off the sixth inning with a homer to center, putting the Falcons on top by three runs. It was her third round-tripper and seventh extra-base hit in the series.
• Sorgi followed with a sharp single up the middle, and Maycee Godbolt's pinch-hit double put two runners in scoring position and chased Norred from the game. Delaney Ostrowski came on and retired the next three hitters to avoid further damage for the Huskies.
• Keller led off the NIU half of the sixth with a double, the home team's first extra-base hit of the game. One out later, Barone's single put runners at the corners, and Mallinder's sacrifice fly got the Huskies on the board. But, Gottshall got pinch-hitter Kira Mickelson to lift a lazy fly ball to shallow center, and L'Esperance made the catch for the third out.
• L'Esperance drew a one-out walk in the seventh, and an infield error allowed Sammy Dees to reach base. Then, for the second-straight inning, McCoy proceed to deposit a ball beyond the outfield fence. This time, the ball was hit a little left of center, and this homer gave the Orange and Brown a 6-1 lead.
• Despite McCoy's homer(s), the bottom of the seventh was not drama-free for the Falcons. The first two Huskies reached via a walk and an error, respectively. Gottshall struck out James, then got Rodriguez to ground out on the very next pitch. Keller walked, and Gottshall and Walinski battled through a lengthy at-bat, with Walinski drawing a base on balls to bring the tying run to the plate.
• But, with a 3-1 count on Barone, Gottshall got the NIU first baseman to hit a looper to McCoy at short for the final out.
STATS, LEADERS & NOTES
• Both teams had seven hits in the opener.
• Davies, the third of three BGSU pitchers in Saturday's first game, pitched well. She allowed three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
• Bryan picked up the complete-game win for the Huskies, allowing five runs (two earned) and seven hits. She walked six and struck out four.
• At the plate, McCoy and L'Esperance each had two hits for the Falcons. McCoy was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run, giving her seven hits (including four doubles and two homers) over the last two games.
• L'Esperance was 2-for-4 with two RBI in Saturday's opener.
• For the Huskies, seven different players had one hit apiece.
• McCoy was 3-for-4 in game two, with her third and fourth homers of the weekend. She drove in five runs in the nightcap.
• The top three hitters in the batting order – L'Esperance, Sammy Dees and McCoy – scored two runs apiece. L'Esperance was 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Keller was 2-for-2 with two walks for the Huskies in game two.
• Gottshall allowed one earned run and five hits. She walked five but struck out five as well.
• Norred suffered the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings. Ostrowski also gave up three runs (two earned) in two innings of relief.
• BGSU had a 9-5 advantage in the hits department in game two.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons head to Kalamazoo for a Wednesday (May 12) doubleheader vs. Western Michigan. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 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.
HASHTAG
#AyZiggy
Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gottshall, Payton (19-11)
L: NORRED (8-15)
Batting:
2B: Godbolt, Maycee 1
HR: McCoy, Madi 2
RBI: McCoy, Madi 5
SH: Sorgi, Nikki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: L'Esperance, Greta 2 ; Dees, Sammy 2 ; McCoy, Madi 2
Batting:
2B: KELLER 1
RBI: WALINSKI 1 ; MALLINDER 1
SF: MALLINDER 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KELLER 1 ; GUERICKE 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
5
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
SS/2B
/ Softball
Util.
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
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