BGSU Advances To 4-0 In MAC For First Time Since 2019

Friday, March 15

Muncie, Ind.

3 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

6-8, 4-0

Ball State

11-7, 1-3

Bowling Green

Ball State

Photo by: Bailey Wilson, BGSU Athletics

March 15, 2024 | Baseball

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Bowling Green Becomes MAC’s Only 4-0 Team

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Bowling Green State University baseball team picked up the win in the series opener against Ball State on Friday (March 15), topping the Cardinals 5-4. The win moves Bowling Green to 4-0 in MAC play for the first time since the 2019 season. BGSU and Ball State will be back on Saturday (March 16) for a 1 p.m. first pitch for the second game in the series.

After two scoreless innings to begin the game, Ball State belted a home run to move in front 1-0 in the third inning. The Falcons' response came in the fourth inning with one run crossing to tie the game. Bowling Green took the lead in the top of the sixth, but Ball State answered in the bottom half for a 2-2 score. Two runs scored in the seventh for BGSU to give the Falcons the lead with another in the eighth. Ball State produced a two-run home run in the ninth, but Bowling Green maintained the 5-4 lead for the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Falcons and Cardinals played two scoreless frames to start the game before Ball State scored the first run of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the third.
Bowling Green made their first tally in the top of the fourth. Leighton Banjoff drew a one-out walk and stole second. TJ Takats put a ball in play with an error allowing Banjoff to score and Takats to take second for a 1-1 tie game.
The Falcons moved to the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Tyler Ross singled followed by a Banjoff walk to put two on for the Falcons with one out. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up, setting up an RBI single for Jack Krause that scored Ross to make it a 2-1 BGSU lead.
Ball State answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game up at 2-2.
Garrett Wright reclaimed the lead for the Falcons with a solo home run to open the seventh inning, his first collegiate home run, to put BGSU back on top 3-2.
Archer followed Wright's home run with a triple to right center. Sam Seidel was able to knock a sacrifice fly out to center, scoring Archer for a 4-2 BGSU advantage.
The Falcons put together a two-out rally in the eighth. Takats drew a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Gavin Ganun stepped in and delivered a single to center, scoring Takats for a 5-2 Falcon lead.
Ball State hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to close the gap to 5-4, but the Falcons held on for the win with Jacob Turner coming in for the save.

STAT LEADERS

DJ Newman (P): W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 3 K
Jacob Turner: SV, 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER
Nathan Archer: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 R
Garrett Wright: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Jack Krause: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Sam Seidel: 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Gavin Ganun: 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Tyler Ross: 1-for-5, 1 R

FALCON STAT FACTS

The win moves BGSU to 4-0 in the MAC for the first time since the 2019 season. It also marks the first Bowling Green win in Muncie since 2016.
On the mound, DJ Newman picked up his second win of the season, going six innings in the start for the Falcons with three strikeouts.
Jacob Turner recorded the first BGSU save of the season, getting the final two outs of the game, to mark his second career save.
Nathan Archer doubled in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to five games and his on-base streak to six games. Archer followed with a triple in the seventh inning to give him multiple hits in all five games of his hitting streak. He's scored in each of five games as well.
With a single in the ninth inning, Sam Seidel has now reached in every game he's played this season, totaling 13 in the streak. Going back to last season, Seidel has reached in 24 consecutive games.
Tyler Ross singled in the sixth inning to continue this hitting streak to six games for the Orange and Brown. He's also reached base in all 12 games he's appeared in this season.
Garrett Wright extended his on-base streak to three games with a single to begin the third inning. He later belted his first home run with the Falcons, coming in the seventh inning to give BGSU the lead.
Jack Krause singled in the sixth inning as well, pushing his on-base streak to five games.
TJ Takats on-base streak stretched to five games with multiple walks in back-to-back contests.

UP NEXT
The Falcons and Cardinals will continue the series on Saturday (March 16) and Sunday (March 17) with 1 p.m. starts for both games. The home opener for Bowling Green is quickly approaching as well, hosting Akron next weekend on March 22-24.

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