Three-Run Second Inning Propels Falcons To Series Win To Open 2022 Season

Sunday, February 20

Hoover, Ala.

1:00 PM EST

Bowling Green State University

2-1

Saint Louis

1-2

Bowling Green

Saint Louis

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Three-Run Second Inning Propels Falcons To Series Win To Open 2022 Season

February 20, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score BGSU-Saint Louis Game 3 Support Our Student-Athletes

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

HOOVER, Ala. – The Bowling Green State University baseball program held off a bottom of the ninth push by the Saint Louis Billikens on Sunday (Feb. 20) to capture a 5-4 victory. The Falcons were able to utilize a three-run second inning to create their lead before a two-run ninth provided the needed insurance to secure the win. With the win, the Falcons claimed the weekend series, the first opening weekend series win for the program since the 2013 campaign. Now 2-1, Bowling Green will turn their attention to next weekend's series against Austin Peay set to begin on Friday (Feb. 25).

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Falcons opened the scoring column in the top of the second. With the bases loaded, Tyler Haas hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Adam Furnas to score the first run of the game.
Next up, Gavin Ganun delivered in his first collegiate at-bat. Ganun singled to right field scoring both Nathan Rose and Adam Fallon, giving Bowling Green a 3-0 lead.
Saint Louis responded with a run in the bottom of the second. A walk and a double put runners on second and third for the Billikens with one scoring on a groundout.
After a scoreless third inning Saint Louis added another tally to the scoreboard. A double followed by a single pushed the second run across for the Billikens, bringing the score to 3-2 BGSU.
The scoring was silent until the top of the ninth when Adam Fallon reached base with a single. Fallon proceeded to steal second before scoring on a Ganun triple to center to give BGSU an insurance run late in the game, 4-2.
Ganun came around to score during the next at-bat. Ryan Johnston reached on a throwing error, advancing to third, while Ganun reached home to push the lead to 5-2.
In the bottom half of the ninth, the Billikens fought back. A double with one on paired with a throwing error allowed Saint Louis to trim the score to 5-4 Falcons.
Jeremy Spezia would take the mound for the Falcons after the two runs, getting a fly out to clinch the win for BGSU.

STAT LEADERS

Gavin Ganun: 3-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI
Adam Fallon: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 SB
Ryan Johnston: 1-for-3, 1 RBI
Peyton Wilson: W, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K

FALCON STAT FACTS

The win for the Falcons grants the program its first series win to open a season since the 2013 campaign when Bowling Green took two from Western Kentucky.
BGSU has now scored 35 runs through the first three games of the season. That's the highest total through three games since the 1985 season when the Falcons tallied 57 runs through the first three games, including a 38-run Opening Day.
In his first at-bat as a Falcon, Gavin Ganun ripped a two-RBI single for the Falcons. Ganun is the second BGSU freshman this weekend to log multiple RBI in his first collegiate hit, joining Nathan Archer who had three RBI in his college debut Friday (Feb. 18).
Peyton Wilson picked up his first win on the mound of the season, tossing five innings while striking out three.
Jeremy Spezia came in for the last out of the game, logging the first save of the season for Bowling Green. Spezia now has 10 saves in the Orange and Brown.

COACH HALLOCK'S QUOTE
"Today was a great test for our team. We received some great contributions from seniors through the freshmen class. That's a sign of this program being together and working towards a common goal, playing winning baseball.

Adam Furnas ignited our first scores and is doing an outstanding job leading and performing. Adam Fallon's energy and production from different spots in the lineup is contagious. Gavin Ganun got his first start today and produced the game's biggest hits from beginning to end. He showed he's a winning player by waiting his turn and delivering when it mattered most.

Peyton Wilson gave us a solid start. He made big time pitches to record strikeouts whenever he was in trouble. That's the New London, Ohio grit we knew we were getting when we recruited him. Griffin Parrill was electric out of the bullpen today. He's got big time stuff and the fastball with his attitude is tough for anyone at any level to match up with. He emptied the tank and showed big time heart. Jeremy Spezia pitched like a senior. He took the ball with the bases loaded and the game on the line to bring us home the win.

We played winning baseball this weekend without our best stuff. We will clean up in each of our respective areas and improve this week during practice before next weekend."

UP NEXT
The Falcons will transition to Clarksville, Tenn. for their next series, set to take on Austin Peay next weekend (Feb. 25-27). The first game of the series is set for Friday (Feb. 25) with first pitch at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' baseball team on social media
Twitter - @BGAthletics and @BGSU_Baseball
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsu_baseball'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube - 'Falcons Athletics'