Bowling Green State University Athletics
Saturday, April 13
Muncie, Ind.
1 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
at
Ball State
Catch Ashley Chevalier & the Falcons in action this weekend at BSU & Tuesday at home vs. CMU
Photo by: Lauren Laudato, BGSU Athletics
BGSU Battles Ball State This Weekend
April 10, 2024 | Softball
Falcons travel to Muncie, then face CMU in Tuesday twinbill
UP NEXT IN FALCON SOFTBALL
• BGSU at Ball State • April 12 • 3:00 p.m. • Muncie, Ind. • ESPN+ •
• BGSU at Ball State • April 13 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Muncie, Ind. •
• BGSU vs. Central Michigan • April 16 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team hits the road for a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons venture to Muncie, Ind., to face Ball State University. The teams are scheduled to meet on Friday (April 12), with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Then, BGSU and BSU will meet in a Saturday (April 13) doubleheader, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
• The Falcons then return home for a Tuesday (April 16) twinbill against Central Michigan, which is slated to start at 1:00 p.m. at Meserve Field. Admission is free to all BGSU home softball games.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• The Falcons played three tightly-contested games against Akron over the weekend. Both of Saturday's (April 6) games were tied after five innings before the Zips went ahead for good in the sixth. UA captured each game by two runs, winning by scores of 4-2 and 7-5.
• On Sunday (April 7), the Zips rallied from four runs down, taking the lead in the seventh, but the Falcons responded with two runs and a walk-off win. Freshman Aaralyn Nogay's two-out single scored sophomore Ashley Chevalier with the winning run. Nogay and Chevalier were two of the many key components of the Falcons' Sunday victory.
A LITTLE MORE INFO ABOUT SUNDAY'S THRILLER
• BGSU led for nearly all of the game after scoring four first-inning runs. But, the Zips scored four times in the sixth inning to tie things up, then took the lead with an unearned run in the top of the seventh.
• Reagan Williamson led off the BG seventh with a walk, and Marti Henkel's sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Peyton Steffes to second. Chevalier walked after falling behind, 0-2, in the count, but a popup followed.
Down to their final out, the Falcons turned to pinch-hitter Scarlet Anderson. Anderson came through with a base hit – her first of the year – to score Steffes with the tying run.
• Another pinch-hitter, Wynnie Reid, kept the inning alive by drawing a walk to load the bases. Then, Nogay singled through the right side of the Akron infield, with Chevalier scoring the winning run.
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt drove in four runs, the highest total of her young career, and was one of four Falcons (Henkel, Nogay and Peyton Dolejs) with two hits in the win. BG batters drew eight walks, with Chevalier and Williamson each walking three times. Chevalier reached base in all four of her trips to the plate on Sunday.
NOTEWORTHY
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt had both the first multiple-hit game and the first multi-RBI contest of her young career on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with her first career double and driving in four runs.
• Sophomore Ashley Chevalier reached base in seven of her eight plate appearances (.875 OBP) in the Akron series. Chevalier went 2-for-3 and was hit by a pitch in Saturday's second game. Then, on Sunday, she was 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.
• Senior Peyton Dolejs had a hit in six-straight at-bats, going 4-for-4 in Saturday's second game, then picking up hits in each of her first two plate appearances on Sunday. She raised her batting average 56 points in the two games.
• Four Falcons – Chevalier, Dolejs, Aaralyn Nogay and Reagan Williamson – had an on-base percentage of .500 or higher in the Akron series.
• Taylor Turner pitched in all three games against the Zips, and did not allow a hit in 3 1/3 total innings of relief. She picked up the win on Sunday.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 5-22 overall, and BGSU is 2-9 in the MAC this season to date. A total of 23 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).
• Freshman Aaralyn Nogay is batting a team-high .292 on the season, with seniors Reagan Williamson and Peyton Dolejs hitting .275 and .253, respectively. Dolejs has team-best totals of 20 hits, four doubles and 12 RBI, while Williamson leads the Falcons in homers (two), slugging percentage (.420) and walks (14).
• Nogay has two triples, six stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .407 to lead the Falcons in all three categories (she is tied for the team lead in steals). Freshman Cameron Kaufman and sophomore Marti Henkel are hitting .246 and .245, respectively, this spring.
• Eight players have three or more stolen bases on the year, as BG as 39 as a team. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
• In the circle, seven different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 5.25 ERA, while senior Taylor Turner has a 5.35 ERA. Turner leads the staff in appearances (18) and games started (eight), as well as innings pitched and strikeouts.
• Scarlet Anderson and Denison each have made six starts, while Mackenzie Krafcik has made five. All four of the aforementioned pitchers have been in the circle for nine or more games.
• 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 OPPONENTS / THE SERIES
• Ball State is 17-21 on the season, and the Cardinals are 4-8 in MAC play after taking two of three games vs. Buffalo last weekend. McKayla Timmons is hitting .368 and had 16 homers and 40 RBI this season. In the circle, Francys King is 10-8 with a team-low 3.40 ERA, while Bridie Murphy has a 6-8 record and a 3.66 ERA.
• Central Michigan is 7-23 overall and 4-5 in the MAC. The Chippewas play a Wednesday (April 10) game at Michigan before returning home to face Buffalo in a three-game series this weekend. Abbey Tolmie is batting .283 this year, with Skylar Coberley and Carly Sleeman hitting .278 and .276, respectively. Grace Lehto paces the CMU pitchers with 19 appearances, 15 starts and 51 strikeouts.
• The Falcons lead Ball State, 54-51, but the Cardinals swept a three-game series at Meserve Field last season (April 22-23, 2023). In BG's last trip to Muncie, the Falcons captured two of three games vs. the Cards two years ago (April 29-30, 2022).
• CMU holds a commanding 81-29 lead over the Falcons in that series, and the Chippewas won all three meetings in Mount Pleasant last year (April 25-26, 2023). Two seasons ago, the Falcons took a doubleheader from CMU at Meserve Field (May 4, 2022), then won a 1-0 contest against the Chippewas in MAC Tournament action in Oxford, Ohio (May 13, 2022).
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the CMU series, the Falcons will return to the road for the next five games, beginning with a three-game set vs. Kent State on April 20-21.
• BGSU at Ball State • April 12 • 3:00 p.m. • Muncie, Ind. • ESPN+ •
• BGSU at Ball State • April 13 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Muncie, Ind. •
• BGSU vs. Central Michigan • April 16 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team hits the road for a three-game Mid-American Conference series this weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons venture to Muncie, Ind., to face Ball State University. The teams are scheduled to meet on Friday (April 12), with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Then, BGSU and BSU will meet in a Saturday (April 13) doubleheader, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
• The Falcons then return home for a Tuesday (April 16) twinbill against Central Michigan, which is slated to start at 1:00 p.m. at Meserve Field. Admission is free to all BGSU home softball games.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• The Falcons played three tightly-contested games against Akron over the weekend. Both of Saturday's (April 6) games were tied after five innings before the Zips went ahead for good in the sixth. UA captured each game by two runs, winning by scores of 4-2 and 7-5.
• On Sunday (April 7), the Zips rallied from four runs down, taking the lead in the seventh, but the Falcons responded with two runs and a walk-off win. Freshman Aaralyn Nogay's two-out single scored sophomore Ashley Chevalier with the winning run. Nogay and Chevalier were two of the many key components of the Falcons' Sunday victory.
A LITTLE MORE INFO ABOUT SUNDAY'S THRILLER
• BGSU led for nearly all of the game after scoring four first-inning runs. But, the Zips scored four times in the sixth inning to tie things up, then took the lead with an unearned run in the top of the seventh.
• Reagan Williamson led off the BG seventh with a walk, and Marti Henkel's sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Peyton Steffes to second. Chevalier walked after falling behind, 0-2, in the count, but a popup followed.
Down to their final out, the Falcons turned to pinch-hitter Scarlet Anderson. Anderson came through with a base hit – her first of the year – to score Steffes with the tying run.
• Another pinch-hitter, Wynnie Reid, kept the inning alive by drawing a walk to load the bases. Then, Nogay singled through the right side of the Akron infield, with Chevalier scoring the winning run.
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt drove in four runs, the highest total of her young career, and was one of four Falcons (Henkel, Nogay and Peyton Dolejs) with two hits in the win. BG batters drew eight walks, with Chevalier and Williamson each walking three times. Chevalier reached base in all four of her trips to the plate on Sunday.
NOTEWORTHY
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt had both the first multiple-hit game and the first multi-RBI contest of her young career on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with her first career double and driving in four runs.
• Sophomore Ashley Chevalier reached base in seven of her eight plate appearances (.875 OBP) in the Akron series. Chevalier went 2-for-3 and was hit by a pitch in Saturday's second game. Then, on Sunday, she was 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.
• Senior Peyton Dolejs had a hit in six-straight at-bats, going 4-for-4 in Saturday's second game, then picking up hits in each of her first two plate appearances on Sunday. She raised her batting average 56 points in the two games.
• Four Falcons – Chevalier, Dolejs, Aaralyn Nogay and Reagan Williamson – had an on-base percentage of .500 or higher in the Akron series.
• Taylor Turner pitched in all three games against the Zips, and did not allow a hit in 3 1/3 total innings of relief. She picked up the win on Sunday.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 5-22 overall, and BGSU is 2-9 in the MAC this season to date. A total of 23 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).
• Freshman Aaralyn Nogay is batting a team-high .292 on the season, with seniors Reagan Williamson and Peyton Dolejs hitting .275 and .253, respectively. Dolejs has team-best totals of 20 hits, four doubles and 12 RBI, while Williamson leads the Falcons in homers (two), slugging percentage (.420) and walks (14).
• Nogay has two triples, six stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .407 to lead the Falcons in all three categories (she is tied for the team lead in steals). Freshman Cameron Kaufman and sophomore Marti Henkel are hitting .246 and .245, respectively, this spring.
• Eight players have three or more stolen bases on the year, as BG as 39 as a team. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
• In the circle, seven different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 5.25 ERA, while senior Taylor Turner has a 5.35 ERA. Turner leads the staff in appearances (18) and games started (eight), as well as innings pitched and strikeouts.
• Scarlet Anderson and Denison each have made six starts, while Mackenzie Krafcik has made five. All four of the aforementioned pitchers have been in the circle for nine or more games.
• 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 OPPONENTS / THE SERIES
• Ball State is 17-21 on the season, and the Cardinals are 4-8 in MAC play after taking two of three games vs. Buffalo last weekend. McKayla Timmons is hitting .368 and had 16 homers and 40 RBI this season. In the circle, Francys King is 10-8 with a team-low 3.40 ERA, while Bridie Murphy has a 6-8 record and a 3.66 ERA.
• Central Michigan is 7-23 overall and 4-5 in the MAC. The Chippewas play a Wednesday (April 10) game at Michigan before returning home to face Buffalo in a three-game series this weekend. Abbey Tolmie is batting .283 this year, with Skylar Coberley and Carly Sleeman hitting .278 and .276, respectively. Grace Lehto paces the CMU pitchers with 19 appearances, 15 starts and 51 strikeouts.
• The Falcons lead Ball State, 54-51, but the Cardinals swept a three-game series at Meserve Field last season (April 22-23, 2023). In BG's last trip to Muncie, the Falcons captured two of three games vs. the Cards two years ago (April 29-30, 2022).
• CMU holds a commanding 81-29 lead over the Falcons in that series, and the Chippewas won all three meetings in Mount Pleasant last year (April 25-26, 2023). Two seasons ago, the Falcons took a doubleheader from CMU at Meserve Field (May 4, 2022), then won a 1-0 contest against the Chippewas in MAC Tournament action in Oxford, Ohio (May 13, 2022).
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the CMU series, the Falcons will return to the road for the next five games, beginning with a three-game set vs. Kent State on April 20-21.
Players Mentioned
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MI
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OF
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SS/MI
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Util.
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Util.
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OF
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C
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