Bowling Green State University Athletics
Friday, March 22
Bowling Green, Ohio
3 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Toledo
Makailah Dees & the Falcons face UT this weekend
Photo by: Ryan Griswold, BGSU Athletics
Falcons Ready for This Weekend's "Battle of I-75"
March 21, 2024 | Softball
BGSU welcomes Toledo to Meserve Field for a three-game series
UP NEXT IN FALCON SOFTBALL
• BGSU vs. Toledo • March 22 • 3:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• BGSU vs. Toledo • March 23 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team hosts a three-game Mid-American Conference series for the second-straight weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons renew the "Battle of I-75" this weekend, as the University of Toledo comes to Meserve Field.
• The Falcons and Rockets are slated to play a Friday (March 22) single game, beginning at 3:00 p.m., followed by a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday (March 23). Admission to all of BGSU's home games is free.
• All three games are scheduled to be televised by BCSN in the Toledo area. Each game will also be available on the BCSN App as well as ESPN+.
• The Falcons' doubleheader at Youngstown State, originally scheduled for Tuesday (March 19), has been moved to Wednesday, April 24. With the schedule change, BGSU is in the midst of an eight-game homestand spanning three consecutive weekends.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• BGSU opened the home and MAC portions of the schedule last weekend, taking one of three games against Buffalo. That series included a Saturday (March 16) split, with the Falcons capturing the first game by a 5-4 score.
NIFTY NOTES AND NUMBERS: HENKEL'S HOT HITTING
• Sophomore Marti Henkel has been red-hot over the last four games, and has raised her season batting average from .158 to .333 in that time. In those four games – the second game in the Notre Dame doubleheader (March 12) and the three contests vs. Buffalo – she reached base in nine of her 11 plate appearances.
• Henkel began that stretch by reaching base in no fewer than seven-straight trips to the plate. She went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks at Notre Dame, in a narrow 10-9 loss. She led off the second inning with a single, walked twice in the same inning – BGSU's seven-run fourth frame – and singled again in the sixth.
• On Friday vs. Buffalo, Henkel led off the third inning with a single, then had a one-out hit in the fifth. She was on deck when the game ended.
• Henkel began Saturday by smacking a two-run double in her first at-bat, before her reached-base streak finally ended with a fly ball to right. In the second game of the day, she got on base in both trips to the plate, with a walk and a single.
• In those four games, Henkel batted .750 and had an on-base percentage of .818. Additionally, the catcher was perfect in 25 chances in the field.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY: RUNNING WITH THE FALCONS
• It's safe to say the Falcons are running more in 2024 than in '23. BGSU had a pair of stolen bases on Friday vs. Buffalo, both by freshman Aaralyn Nogay. Then, the Falcons stole eight bases in Saturday's doubleheader, including no fewer than seven – with two more by Nogay and three by fellow freshman Cameron Kaufman – in the first game of the day.
• Single-game records are incomplete, but BGSU's seven stolen bases in the first game on Saturday was the program's highest single-game total since at least the 2000 season.
• Heading into the Toledo series, the Falcons have a total of 26 steals in this season's first 17 games. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
EARLIER LAST WEEK...
• BGSU ended the pre-conference schedule with a narrow 10-9 loss at Notre Dame last Tuesday (March 12). The Falcons posted a season-high run total against the Fighting Irish, battling into extra innings on the road. BG trailed, 8-2, after Notre Dame put together a five-run third inning, but the Falcons exploded for a seven-run fourth inning to take the lead. The Irish evened things up with a seventh-inning homer, then scratched an eighth-inning run across the plate to pick up the win.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 2-15 overall, and BGSU is 1-2 in the MAC this season to date. A total of 22 different players have seen action this season, including all nine newcomers who are eligible to play (one of BGSU's 10 newbies will redshirt the 2024 season).
• Senior Reagan Williamson is hitting a team-leading .347 on the season, and also paces the Falcons in hits (17), doubles (four), homers (two), RBI (10), total bases and slugging pct.
• Sophomore Marti Henkel is batting .333 and has raised her average 175 points over the last four games, while freshman Cameron Kaufman is hitting .279.
• In the circle, six different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 3.63 ERA, while Scarlet Anderson and Taylor Turner each have started six games to tie for the team lead in that category. Sophomore Mackenzie Krafcik picked up the win over Buffalo in relief on Saturday, with Turner earning the save.
• Fenton-Bockbrader and assistant coaches Erinn Gankosky and Jacob Jeffries are joined by 14 returning letterwinners from last year's club. That list includes seniors Williamson and Peyton Dolejs, each of whom have started over 100 career games.
THE OPPONENT / THE SERIES
• Toledo is 10-12 on the season, and the Rockets are 1-2 in MAC play after opening the conference schedule against Akron last weekend. Eli Enriquez is batting a team-high .444 on the season, while Riley Mohr (.379) and Sidney Griffith (.358) each are hitting over .350 as well. In the circle, Sophia Knight has a 7-4 record and an ERA of 1.95. She has seven complete games in her nine starts. Head coach Jessica Bracamonte welcomed back 14 letterwinners from the 2023 Rocket team that went 21-25 overall and 14-14 in MAC action.
• The Falcons lead Toledo, 73-46, in the all-time series. Last season, the teams played three games at the Total Sports Dome in Rossford, with UT capturing the first two. BGSU picked up a 9-8 win in the final series game. The Rockets' last trip(s) to Meserve Field saw the Falcons sweep a three-game set two years ago.
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the Toledo series, the Falcons will step outside of MAC play, hosting Detroit Mercy in a doubleheader at Meserve Field on Saturday, March 30. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
• BGSU vs. Toledo • March 22 • 3:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• BGSU vs. Toledo • March 23 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team hosts a three-game Mid-American Conference series for the second-straight weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons renew the "Battle of I-75" this weekend, as the University of Toledo comes to Meserve Field.
• The Falcons and Rockets are slated to play a Friday (March 22) single game, beginning at 3:00 p.m., followed by a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday (March 23). Admission to all of BGSU's home games is free.
• All three games are scheduled to be televised by BCSN in the Toledo area. Each game will also be available on the BCSN App as well as ESPN+.
• The Falcons' doubleheader at Youngstown State, originally scheduled for Tuesday (March 19), has been moved to Wednesday, April 24. With the schedule change, BGSU is in the midst of an eight-game homestand spanning three consecutive weekends.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• BGSU opened the home and MAC portions of the schedule last weekend, taking one of three games against Buffalo. That series included a Saturday (March 16) split, with the Falcons capturing the first game by a 5-4 score.
NIFTY NOTES AND NUMBERS: HENKEL'S HOT HITTING
• Sophomore Marti Henkel has been red-hot over the last four games, and has raised her season batting average from .158 to .333 in that time. In those four games – the second game in the Notre Dame doubleheader (March 12) and the three contests vs. Buffalo – she reached base in nine of her 11 plate appearances.
• Henkel began that stretch by reaching base in no fewer than seven-straight trips to the plate. She went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks at Notre Dame, in a narrow 10-9 loss. She led off the second inning with a single, walked twice in the same inning – BGSU's seven-run fourth frame – and singled again in the sixth.
• On Friday vs. Buffalo, Henkel led off the third inning with a single, then had a one-out hit in the fifth. She was on deck when the game ended.
• Henkel began Saturday by smacking a two-run double in her first at-bat, before her reached-base streak finally ended with a fly ball to right. In the second game of the day, she got on base in both trips to the plate, with a walk and a single.
• In those four games, Henkel batted .750 and had an on-base percentage of .818. Additionally, the catcher was perfect in 25 chances in the field.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY: RUNNING WITH THE FALCONS
• It's safe to say the Falcons are running more in 2024 than in '23. BGSU had a pair of stolen bases on Friday vs. Buffalo, both by freshman Aaralyn Nogay. Then, the Falcons stole eight bases in Saturday's doubleheader, including no fewer than seven – with two more by Nogay and three by fellow freshman Cameron Kaufman – in the first game of the day.
• Single-game records are incomplete, but BGSU's seven stolen bases in the first game on Saturday was the program's highest single-game total since at least the 2000 season.
• Heading into the Toledo series, the Falcons have a total of 26 steals in this season's first 17 games. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
EARLIER LAST WEEK...
• BGSU ended the pre-conference schedule with a narrow 10-9 loss at Notre Dame last Tuesday (March 12). The Falcons posted a season-high run total against the Fighting Irish, battling into extra innings on the road. BG trailed, 8-2, after Notre Dame put together a five-run third inning, but the Falcons exploded for a seven-run fourth inning to take the lead. The Irish evened things up with a seventh-inning homer, then scratched an eighth-inning run across the plate to pick up the win.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 2-15 overall, and BGSU is 1-2 in the MAC this season to date. A total of 22 different players have seen action this season, including all nine newcomers who are eligible to play (one of BGSU's 10 newbies will redshirt the 2024 season).
• Senior Reagan Williamson is hitting a team-leading .347 on the season, and also paces the Falcons in hits (17), doubles (four), homers (two), RBI (10), total bases and slugging pct.
• Sophomore Marti Henkel is batting .333 and has raised her average 175 points over the last four games, while freshman Cameron Kaufman is hitting .279.
• In the circle, six different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 3.63 ERA, while Scarlet Anderson and Taylor Turner each have started six games to tie for the team lead in that category. Sophomore Mackenzie Krafcik picked up the win over Buffalo in relief on Saturday, with Turner earning the save.
• Fenton-Bockbrader and assistant coaches Erinn Gankosky and Jacob Jeffries are joined by 14 returning letterwinners from last year's club. That list includes seniors Williamson and Peyton Dolejs, each of whom have started over 100 career games.
THE OPPONENT / THE SERIES
• Toledo is 10-12 on the season, and the Rockets are 1-2 in MAC play after opening the conference schedule against Akron last weekend. Eli Enriquez is batting a team-high .444 on the season, while Riley Mohr (.379) and Sidney Griffith (.358) each are hitting over .350 as well. In the circle, Sophia Knight has a 7-4 record and an ERA of 1.95. She has seven complete games in her nine starts. Head coach Jessica Bracamonte welcomed back 14 letterwinners from the 2023 Rocket team that went 21-25 overall and 14-14 in MAC action.
• The Falcons lead Toledo, 73-46, in the all-time series. Last season, the teams played three games at the Total Sports Dome in Rossford, with UT capturing the first two. BGSU picked up a 9-8 win in the final series game. The Rockets' last trip(s) to Meserve Field saw the Falcons sweep a three-game set two years ago.
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the Toledo series, the Falcons will step outside of MAC play, hosting Detroit Mercy in a doubleheader at Meserve Field on Saturday, March 30. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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