Bowling Green State University Athletics
Saturday, April 27
Bowling Green, Ohio
1 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
6-33, 3-18
11
vs
3
Northern Illinois
16-30, 7-15
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Northern Illinois
0
0
1
2
0
3
8
0
Bowling Green
7
0
3
0
1
11
14
0
Peyton Dolejs (10) went 4-for-4 & hit a 3-run homer in Saturday's opener
Photo by: Kate Laney, BGSU Athletics
Seniors Have a Day in Run-Rule Win over NIU
April 27, 2024 | Softball
Dees, Dolejs & Williamson go a combined 8-for-10 in 14-4 win
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University softball team celebrated Senior Day prior to the opening game on Saturday (April 27), and those seniors promptly went out and led the Falcons to a run-rule victory. BGSU defeated Northern Illinois University by an 11-3 final in five innings in Saturday's opener at Meserve Field.
The teams traded run-rule decisions in the Mid-American Conference doubleheader, as the Huskies posted a 14-4, six-inning victory in the nightcap.
Each team loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning of the first game. But, while BGSU got out of the top half of the inning unscathed, the Falcons made the Huskies pay in the bottom of the frame, scoring no fewer than seven times.
Three of the Falcons' five seniors – Makailah Dees, Peyton Dolejs and Reagan Williamson – combined for eight hits and seven RBI in the opener. Dolejs and Williamson each reached base in all four plate appearances. Dolejs went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI, hitting a three-run homer.
Williamson, batting in the leadoff spot, went 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two RBI. She had one of the Falcons' four doubles.
Dees went 2-for-4 in the opener, with a run scored and a run driven in. Dees had multiple-hit games in both ends of the twinbill.
Another senior, Taylor Turner, picked up the victory in the opener, allowing one run and five hits in three innings of work.
The Falcons' fifth senior, Lexi Carver, made the start at first base. Carver, battling an injury, was subbed out of the game after the opening pitch.
No fewer than five Falcons had multi-hit games in the opener, as Scarlet Anderson was 2-for-2 with a walk, a run and an RBI, while Marti Henkel was 2-for-3 and knocked in a pair of runs.
Gallery: (4-27-2024) 042724 sb v NIU - Kate Laney
NOTE OF THE DAY
• The opening game saw the Falcons post season-high totals in runs (11), hits (13), RBI (11), doubles (four) and total bases (20). As mentioned earlier, the seniors at the top of the lineup were a B!G reason for those totals. Read on, reader...
ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• Saturday was Senior Day at Meserve Field, with the Falcons' five seniors recognized in ceremonies prior to the first game. That quintet included Lexi Carver, Makailah Dees, Peyton Dolejs, Taylor Turner and Reagan Williamson.
• Dolejs responded by going 4-for-4, for the second four-hit game of her career. Her first came three weeks ago, against Akron at Meserve Field (April 6).
• Three of BGSU's five seniors – Dolejs, Dees and Williamson – combined to go 8-for-10 at the plate and reach base in 10 of 12 plate appearances.
• When cleanup hitter Scarlet Anderson's totals are added to that group, the Falcons' one through four hitters went 10-of-12 with three walks in the win, reaching base in 13 of 15 trips to the plate.
• BGSU's seven-run first inning was the team's highest-scoring frame of the season. The Falcons had seven runs in the fourth inning at Notre Dame on March 12.
• BG has not scored more than seven times in an inning since early last season, when the Falcons had a nine-run first frame in a win over Tennessee Tech (March 4, 2023).
• Both Williamson (a walk and a single) and Dolejs (two singles) reached base twice in the first inning of the opener.
BGSU-NIU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both the Huskies and the Falcons loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. But those two half-innings played out very differently.
• Ellis Erickson walked to begin the game, and Jenna Turner banged a single through the left side of the BGSU infield. Danielle Stewart was hit by a pitch to put three runners on base with no outs.
• The next hitter, Madison Mathews, hit a ground ball to the left side, and third baseman Taylor Behrendt grabbed it on one hop and fired the ball home in plenty of time to force Erickson at the plate.
• Then, Caitlyn Shumaker hit a fly ball to left-center field. Makailah Dees ranged to her left to make the catch for the second out, then fired a strike to the plate. Dees' throw reached the plate on the fly, and catcher Marti Henkel caught it and tagged Turner attempting to score, completing the inning-ending double play.
• Reagan Williamson drew a walk to begin the home half of the first, before Peyton Dolejs banged a ball through the left side for a base hit that sent pinch-runner Kaylee Cole to second. Dees followed with a ball to the right side, and everyone was safe when first baseman Shumaker could not come up with the ball cleanly and no one was covering first.
• Like the Huskies, the Falcons had loaded the bases with no outs. But, after Taylor Turner and the home team had gotten out of the jam in the top of the first, the BG batters would not let NIU starting pitcher Emily Dato escape damage.
• Scarlet Anderson drew a walk to allow Cole to score the game's first run, and after Dato got a strikeout, Henkel lined a ball back up the middle to score both Dolejs and Dees. Delaney Davis reached on a bunt to reload the bases, and Wynnie Reid drew a walk to plate Anderson and chase Dato.
• Claire Norred entered the circle for the Huskies, and got a fielder's choice grounder, with Henkel forced at the plate. But, Williamson – batting for the second time in the inning – went the other way with a pitch, hitting a ball that was just out of reach of diving second baseman Avery Carnahan in shallow right. Two runs scored on the play, and Behrendt scored on a squeeze play, as Dolejs beat out a bunt for her second hit of the first inning. The Falcons had a seven-run lead.
• The Huskies got on the board in the third inning, as Turner and Stewart had back-to-back singles with one out. BGSU's Turner got the second out as second baseman Reid grabbed a popup near the foul line, but a Shumaker single brought a teammate home to put the visitors on the board.
• In the bottom of the third, however, Behrendt lined a ball to right for a one-out double, and after Williamson walked, Dolejs scored them both with a three-run homer. The ball was hit into a strong wind that was blowing from left to right, but still cleared the wall in left by several feet. The Falcons had a 10-1 lead.
• The Huskies put a pair of runs on the board in the fourth as Carnahan walked, Alana Powell singled and, one out later, Katy Ramage singled to score Carnahan. A Turner single with two outs would plate Powell and make it a 10-3 game.
• Emma Denison entered the game in the fifth and worked a one-two-three inning. Then, three BGSU seniors combined to walk it off for the Falcons in the bottom of the frame.
• Williamson reached base for the fourth time in as many plate appearances in the game, with a leadoff double to the gap in right-center. Then, Dolejs had her fourth hit in as many trips, with a sharp single up the middle to put runners at the corners. Dees followed with a single to left that plated Dolejs and gave the Falcons an eight-run lead and the win.
• The Falcons, as mentioned, pounded out a season-high 13 hits in the win. Five players had multiple-hit games, led by a 4-for-4 performance from Dolejs. She scored two runs and drove in four, including the three-run homer.
• Williamson was 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two RBI. She had one of BGSU's season-high four doubles.
• Dees was 2-for-4 as the three seniors at the top of the lineup combined to go 8-for-10. Dees scored one run and had an RBI as well.
• Anderson was 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, a run and an RBI. Henkel went 2-for-3 with a two-base hit and a pair of RBI, and Behrendt scored two runs in the win.
• Turner picked up the victory, allowing just one run and five hits in her three innings of work. Ellie Price and Denison each threw one inning, with Denison retiring all three hitters she faced.
• NIU's Turner went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Powell was 2-for-2 for the visitors.
BGSU-NIU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• While NIU failed to capitalize after putting several runners on base to start the first game, the Huskies would make no such mistake in game two. Erickson led off the game with a homer to center, and Turner walked, Stewart was hit by a pitch and Mathews had an RBI single. Denison replaced Mackenzie Krafcik in the circle and got a pair of fly-ball outs, but a wild pitch scored a run, and Trinity Jones Estrada singled to plate another. NIU had an early 4-0 lead.
• As Denison and her teammates were taking the field to begin the second inning, the Falcons were called back off of the diamond and the game was halted due to lightning in the area. The teams waited out a weather delay of one hour and 18 minutes before resuming play just after 5:00 p.m.
• When play resumed, Erickson doubled and Turner drew her second walk in as many innings. Stewart walked as well, and after a ground ball produced a force play at the plate, Powell singled to plate a pair of runs. With runners at the corners, NIU attempted a double steal. Henkel and the Falcons gunned down Powell trying to take second, but Mathews scored from third on the play for a 7-0 NIU lead.
• In the third, the Falcons took advantage of back-to-back NIU errors to begin the inning. Behrendt singled to score Davis from third, and Reid came all the way around from first base to score as well. Then, Williamson's flare landed just inside the right-field line on the grass behind the infield, with Behrendt taking third. Behrendt would score on a Dolejs grounder, and pinch-runner Cole scored easily when Dees drove a ball to left-center for a two-out double.
• It was a 7-4 game, but the Huskies responded quickly. Erickson and Turner each singled, and with two outs, a Powell single plated both runners. Then, an error allowed Powell to score and five NIU a 10-4 lead.
• In the sixth, NIU added to the lead with four runs on two hits and a pair of BG errors. Turner was hit by a pitch and Stewart walked. An error allowed Mathews to reach, with two runs scoring, and Powell tripled to bring Mathews home. Powell would score on a groundout, and Huskie pitcher Lily Cassell retired the Falcons in the bottom of the inning to close out the win.
• The Huskies had 10 hits, with Powell and Erickson picking up three each. Erickson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Powell was 3-for-4 as well, scoring twice and driving in five runs.
• Turner was 1-for-1 with two walks, scoring four runs for the visitors. Mathews had a hit and scored three times in the game.
• For the Falcons, Dees was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Behrendt had a hit and drove in a pair of runs.
• Cassell earned the complete-game win, allowing four runs, all unearned. She gave up five hits, striking out four without walking a batter.
UP NEXT
• For the Falcons, Saturday's doubleheader concluded the home portion of the 2024 schedule. BGSU will head to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a Tuesday (April 30) doubleheader vs. Western Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will venture to Athens for a three-game series against Ohio next weekend. The Falcons and Bobcats will play a Saturday (May 4) doubleheader and a Sunday (May 5) single game.
• All five of next week's games are scheduled to have a live stream, with Tuesday's DH on Bronco All-Access and the Ohio series on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on 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.
The teams traded run-rule decisions in the Mid-American Conference doubleheader, as the Huskies posted a 14-4, six-inning victory in the nightcap.
Each team loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning of the first game. But, while BGSU got out of the top half of the inning unscathed, the Falcons made the Huskies pay in the bottom of the frame, scoring no fewer than seven times.
Three of the Falcons' five seniors – Makailah Dees, Peyton Dolejs and Reagan Williamson – combined for eight hits and seven RBI in the opener. Dolejs and Williamson each reached base in all four plate appearances. Dolejs went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI, hitting a three-run homer.
Williamson, batting in the leadoff spot, went 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two RBI. She had one of the Falcons' four doubles.
Dees went 2-for-4 in the opener, with a run scored and a run driven in. Dees had multiple-hit games in both ends of the twinbill.
Another senior, Taylor Turner, picked up the victory in the opener, allowing one run and five hits in three innings of work.
The Falcons' fifth senior, Lexi Carver, made the start at first base. Carver, battling an injury, was subbed out of the game after the opening pitch.
No fewer than five Falcons had multi-hit games in the opener, as Scarlet Anderson was 2-for-2 with a walk, a run and an RBI, while Marti Henkel was 2-for-3 and knocked in a pair of runs.
NOTE OF THE DAY
• The opening game saw the Falcons post season-high totals in runs (11), hits (13), RBI (11), doubles (four) and total bases (20). As mentioned earlier, the seniors at the top of the lineup were a B!G reason for those totals. Read on, reader...
ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• Saturday was Senior Day at Meserve Field, with the Falcons' five seniors recognized in ceremonies prior to the first game. That quintet included Lexi Carver, Makailah Dees, Peyton Dolejs, Taylor Turner and Reagan Williamson.
• Dolejs responded by going 4-for-4, for the second four-hit game of her career. Her first came three weeks ago, against Akron at Meserve Field (April 6).
• Three of BGSU's five seniors – Dolejs, Dees and Williamson – combined to go 8-for-10 at the plate and reach base in 10 of 12 plate appearances.
• When cleanup hitter Scarlet Anderson's totals are added to that group, the Falcons' one through four hitters went 10-of-12 with three walks in the win, reaching base in 13 of 15 trips to the plate.
• BGSU's seven-run first inning was the team's highest-scoring frame of the season. The Falcons had seven runs in the fourth inning at Notre Dame on March 12.
• BG has not scored more than seven times in an inning since early last season, when the Falcons had a nine-run first frame in a win over Tennessee Tech (March 4, 2023).
• Both Williamson (a walk and a single) and Dolejs (two singles) reached base twice in the first inning of the opener.
The bats were alive 🔥 for the Falcons 🟠🟤 in game one of a doubleheader as @BGSUSoftball 🥎 cruised to an 11-3 triumph over Northern Illinois. pic.twitter.com/cHxzSw011C
— BCSN (@BCSNsports) April 28, 2024
BGSU-NIU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both the Huskies and the Falcons loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. But those two half-innings played out very differently.
• Ellis Erickson walked to begin the game, and Jenna Turner banged a single through the left side of the BGSU infield. Danielle Stewart was hit by a pitch to put three runners on base with no outs.
• The next hitter, Madison Mathews, hit a ground ball to the left side, and third baseman Taylor Behrendt grabbed it on one hop and fired the ball home in plenty of time to force Erickson at the plate.
• Then, Caitlyn Shumaker hit a fly ball to left-center field. Makailah Dees ranged to her left to make the catch for the second out, then fired a strike to the plate. Dees' throw reached the plate on the fly, and catcher Marti Henkel caught it and tagged Turner attempting to score, completing the inning-ending double play.
• Reagan Williamson drew a walk to begin the home half of the first, before Peyton Dolejs banged a ball through the left side for a base hit that sent pinch-runner Kaylee Cole to second. Dees followed with a ball to the right side, and everyone was safe when first baseman Shumaker could not come up with the ball cleanly and no one was covering first.
• Like the Huskies, the Falcons had loaded the bases with no outs. But, after Taylor Turner and the home team had gotten out of the jam in the top of the first, the BG batters would not let NIU starting pitcher Emily Dato escape damage.
• Scarlet Anderson drew a walk to allow Cole to score the game's first run, and after Dato got a strikeout, Henkel lined a ball back up the middle to score both Dolejs and Dees. Delaney Davis reached on a bunt to reload the bases, and Wynnie Reid drew a walk to plate Anderson and chase Dato.
• Claire Norred entered the circle for the Huskies, and got a fielder's choice grounder, with Henkel forced at the plate. But, Williamson – batting for the second time in the inning – went the other way with a pitch, hitting a ball that was just out of reach of diving second baseman Avery Carnahan in shallow right. Two runs scored on the play, and Behrendt scored on a squeeze play, as Dolejs beat out a bunt for her second hit of the first inning. The Falcons had a seven-run lead.
• The Huskies got on the board in the third inning, as Turner and Stewart had back-to-back singles with one out. BGSU's Turner got the second out as second baseman Reid grabbed a popup near the foul line, but a Shumaker single brought a teammate home to put the visitors on the board.
• In the bottom of the third, however, Behrendt lined a ball to right for a one-out double, and after Williamson walked, Dolejs scored them both with a three-run homer. The ball was hit into a strong wind that was blowing from left to right, but still cleared the wall in left by several feet. The Falcons had a 10-1 lead.
• The Huskies put a pair of runs on the board in the fourth as Carnahan walked, Alana Powell singled and, one out later, Katy Ramage singled to score Carnahan. A Turner single with two outs would plate Powell and make it a 10-3 game.
• Emma Denison entered the game in the fifth and worked a one-two-three inning. Then, three BGSU seniors combined to walk it off for the Falcons in the bottom of the frame.
• Williamson reached base for the fourth time in as many plate appearances in the game, with a leadoff double to the gap in right-center. Then, Dolejs had her fourth hit in as many trips, with a sharp single up the middle to put runners at the corners. Dees followed with a single to left that plated Dolejs and gave the Falcons an eight-run lead and the win.
• The Falcons, as mentioned, pounded out a season-high 13 hits in the win. Five players had multiple-hit games, led by a 4-for-4 performance from Dolejs. She scored two runs and drove in four, including the three-run homer.
• Williamson was 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs and two RBI. She had one of BGSU's season-high four doubles.
• Dees was 2-for-4 as the three seniors at the top of the lineup combined to go 8-for-10. Dees scored one run and had an RBI as well.
• Anderson was 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, a run and an RBI. Henkel went 2-for-3 with a two-base hit and a pair of RBI, and Behrendt scored two runs in the win.
• Turner picked up the victory, allowing just one run and five hits in her three innings of work. Ellie Price and Denison each threw one inning, with Denison retiring all three hitters she faced.
• NIU's Turner went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Powell was 2-for-2 for the visitors.
BGSU-NIU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• While NIU failed to capitalize after putting several runners on base to start the first game, the Huskies would make no such mistake in game two. Erickson led off the game with a homer to center, and Turner walked, Stewart was hit by a pitch and Mathews had an RBI single. Denison replaced Mackenzie Krafcik in the circle and got a pair of fly-ball outs, but a wild pitch scored a run, and Trinity Jones Estrada singled to plate another. NIU had an early 4-0 lead.
• As Denison and her teammates were taking the field to begin the second inning, the Falcons were called back off of the diamond and the game was halted due to lightning in the area. The teams waited out a weather delay of one hour and 18 minutes before resuming play just after 5:00 p.m.
• When play resumed, Erickson doubled and Turner drew her second walk in as many innings. Stewart walked as well, and after a ground ball produced a force play at the plate, Powell singled to plate a pair of runs. With runners at the corners, NIU attempted a double steal. Henkel and the Falcons gunned down Powell trying to take second, but Mathews scored from third on the play for a 7-0 NIU lead.
• In the third, the Falcons took advantage of back-to-back NIU errors to begin the inning. Behrendt singled to score Davis from third, and Reid came all the way around from first base to score as well. Then, Williamson's flare landed just inside the right-field line on the grass behind the infield, with Behrendt taking third. Behrendt would score on a Dolejs grounder, and pinch-runner Cole scored easily when Dees drove a ball to left-center for a two-out double.
• It was a 7-4 game, but the Huskies responded quickly. Erickson and Turner each singled, and with two outs, a Powell single plated both runners. Then, an error allowed Powell to score and five NIU a 10-4 lead.
• In the sixth, NIU added to the lead with four runs on two hits and a pair of BG errors. Turner was hit by a pitch and Stewart walked. An error allowed Mathews to reach, with two runs scoring, and Powell tripled to bring Mathews home. Powell would score on a groundout, and Huskie pitcher Lily Cassell retired the Falcons in the bottom of the inning to close out the win.
• The Huskies had 10 hits, with Powell and Erickson picking up three each. Erickson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Powell was 3-for-4 as well, scoring twice and driving in five runs.
• Turner was 1-for-1 with two walks, scoring four runs for the visitors. Mathews had a hit and scored three times in the game.
• For the Falcons, Dees was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Behrendt had a hit and drove in a pair of runs.
• Cassell earned the complete-game win, allowing four runs, all unearned. She gave up five hits, striking out four without walking a batter.
UP NEXT
• For the Falcons, Saturday's doubleheader concluded the home portion of the 2024 schedule. BGSU will head to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a Tuesday (April 30) doubleheader vs. Western Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will venture to Athens for a three-game series against Ohio next weekend. The Falcons and Bobcats will play a Saturday (May 4) doubleheader and a Sunday (May 5) single game.
• All five of next week's games are scheduled to have a live stream, with Tuesday's DH on Bronco All-Access and the Ohio series on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on 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.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Turner, Taylor (3-9)
L: Dato (2-7)
Batting:
RBI: Turner 1 ; Shumaker 1 ; Ramage 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Turner 1 ; Carnahan 1 ; Powell 1
SB: Erickson 1 ; Turner 1
CS: Shumaker 1
HBP: Stewart 1
Batting:
2B: Williamson, Reagan 1 ; Anderson, Scarlet 1 ; Henkel, Marti 1 ; Behrendt, Taylor 1
HR: Dolejs, Peyton 1
RBI: Williamson, Reagan 2 ; Dolejs, Peyton 4 ; Dees, Makailah 1 ; Anderson, Scarlet 1 ; Henkel, Marti 2 ; Reid, Wynnie 1
SH: Davis, Delaney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williamson, Reagan 2 ; Cole, Kaylee 1 ; Dolejs, Peyton 2 ; Dees, Makailah 1 ; Anderson, Scarlet 1 ; Davis, Delaney 1 ; Reid, Wynnie 1 ; Behrendt, Taylor 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
4
RBI
4
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
MI
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Util.
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballSB: First Pitch Dinner Recap (Jan. 11, 2024)
Wednesday, January 24
BGSU-CMU Softball Highlights (May 13, 2022)
Saturday, May 14
BGSU In The Nest : Nikki and Alex Sorgi (Softball)
Wednesday, May 08
BG Softball Beats Akron in Game 1 on Senior Day 4.27
Saturday, April 27