Bowling Green State University Athletics
Saturday, April 6
Bowling Green, Ohio
1 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Akron
Photo by: Lauren Laudato, BGSU Athletics
Falcons Look to Eclipse the Zips this Weekend
April 05, 2024 | Softball
BGSU welcomes Akron to Meserve for a three-game series
UP NEXT IN FALCON SOFTBALL
• BGSU vs. Akron • April 6 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• BGSU vs. Akron • April 7 • 12:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team returns home for a three-game series this weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons face the University of Akron at Meserve Field. Currently, the teams are scheduled to play a Saturday (April 6) doubleheader, beginning at 1:00 p.m., followed by a Sunday (April 7) single game that starts at 12:00 p.m.
• Admission is free to all BGSU home softball games.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• The Falcons split four games over the last week, sweeping a doubleheader from Detroit Mercy on Saturday (March 30) at Meserve Field, before dropping a pair of contests on the road against league-leading Miami Tuesday (April 2).
• Sophomore Mackenzie Krafcik fired a one-hit shutout against UDM, as the Falcons picked up an 8-0, five-inning win in the second game of the twinbill.
MACK CRAFTS A MASTERPIECE
• Soph Mackenzie Krafcik's one-hit shutout of the Titans on Saturday came in just her fifth-ever start, and it was her second complete game as a Falcon. Krafcik needed just 65 pitches to record the win, walking two batters and striking out four while allowing just the one hit.
• She allowed just two balls to be hit out of the infield, on a third-inning single and a fifth-inning fly ball to right.
• The shutout was the Falcons' first since May 13, 2022, and the run-rule victory was BG's first since Feb. 17, 2023. Krafcik is 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA this season to date.
THERE'S NO GETTING HER OUT
• Falcon freshman Aaralyn Nogay continued her stellar play in the sweep of Detroit Mercy. Nogay had three hits and scored three runs in the DH. In the opener, she walked, stole second and scored the Falcons' first run of the day, then had what proved to be the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.
• Game two saw Nogay go 3-for-4 with another stolen base, two runs scored and an RBI. Her third hit of the game was a walk-off single in the fifth inning that gave the Falcons an eight-run lead.
• After going 5-for-9 in the Falcons' three-game series vs. Toledo, the UDM DH gave Nogay a total of eight hits in a five-game span. She raised her batting average 186 points during that time.
RUNNING WITH THE FALCONS
• It's safe to say the Falcons are running more in 2024 than in '23. BGSU had a total of 10 stolen bases in the Buffalo series (March 15-16), including seven in the middle game.
• BGSU single-game records are incomplete, but the seven stolen bases in the aforementioned game was the program's highest single-game total since at least the 2000 season.
• Then, the Falcons swiped 11 bases in the sweep of Detroit Mercy, with five thefts in game one and six more in the nightcap.
• Heading into the Akron series, the Falcons have a total of 37 steals in this season's first 24 games. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
A FEW MORE NOTES FROM THE DETROIT MERCY DOUBLEHEADER
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt picked up her first collegiate hit in Saturday's second game, on a line drive single to right that also resulted in her first RBI as a Falcon. Behrendt walked three times, stole three bases and scored three runs in the doubleheader. She added another hit three days later at Miami.
• Sophomore Delaney Davis entered Saturday's action having batted just five times in 2024, with no hits on the season. She wound up with three hits on the day, including a 2-for-3 effort in game two, and scored two runs.
• Freshman Emma Denison picked up her first collegiate win in the opener, with three innings of one-run, four-hit relief vs. the Titans.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 4-20 overall, and BGSU is 1-5 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).
• Senior Reagan Williamson is hitting a team-leading .270 on the season, and also paces the Falcons in hits (17), doubles (four), homers (two), RBI (10), total bases and slugging pct.
• Freshmen Aaralyn Nogay and Cameron Kaufman are batting .263 and .255, respectively, on the year, while sophomore Marti Henkel is hitting .238 this spring. Peyton Dolejs has 14 hits, good for second on the team behind Williamson, while Kaufman has 13.
• Seven players have three or more stolen bases on the year, as BG is 37 of 41 as a team.
• In the circle, seven different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 5.32 ERA, while senior Taylor Turner has a 5.70 ERA. Turner leads the staff in appearances (15) and games started (eight), as well as innings pitched and strikeouts.
• Scarlet Anderson has made six starts (second on the team) and nine appearances overall (tied with Denison for second), while Mackenzie Krafcik, Alivia Roth and Madi Young each have pitched in at least six games this season. Ellie Price, who had been out due to injury, made her 2024 debut on Tuesday at Miami.
• 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
• Akron is 14-18 on the season, and the Zips are 5-4 in MAC play. Meagan Lee paces the UA bats with a .431 batting average, with three of her teammates hitting between .275 and .289 each. In the circle, Haley Croyle is 5-8 with a team-low 3.77 ERA. Three hurlers, including Croyle, have pitched between 67 and 73 innings this season to date. Coach Craig Nicholson returned 10 players from a 2023 team that went 28-23 overall and 16-13 in the MAC.
• The Falcons lead Akron, 63-33-1, in the all-time series, but BGSU is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Zips. Last year, host Akron swept a three-game series in Northeast Ohio (April 15-16, 2023). In the Zips' last visit to Meserve Field, the Falcons captured the first and last games of a three-game series (April 23-24, 2022).
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the Akron series, the Falcons will hit the road for three games against Ball State. BGSU will meet the Cardinals in a single game on Friday, April 12, followed by a doubleheader the following day.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will return to Meserve Field for a twinbill vs. Central Michigan on Tuesday, April 16.
• BGSU vs. Akron • April 6 (DH) • 1:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• BGSU vs. Akron • April 7 • 12:00 p.m. • Bowling Green, Ohio •
• The BGSU softball team returns home for a three-game series this weekend. Head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader and the Falcons face the University of Akron at Meserve Field. Currently, the teams are scheduled to play a Saturday (April 6) doubleheader, beginning at 1:00 p.m., followed by a Sunday (April 7) single game that starts at 12:00 p.m.
• Admission is free to all BGSU home softball games.
SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TALKED...
• The Falcons split four games over the last week, sweeping a doubleheader from Detroit Mercy on Saturday (March 30) at Meserve Field, before dropping a pair of contests on the road against league-leading Miami Tuesday (April 2).
• Sophomore Mackenzie Krafcik fired a one-hit shutout against UDM, as the Falcons picked up an 8-0, five-inning win in the second game of the twinbill.
MACK CRAFTS A MASTERPIECE
• Soph Mackenzie Krafcik's one-hit shutout of the Titans on Saturday came in just her fifth-ever start, and it was her second complete game as a Falcon. Krafcik needed just 65 pitches to record the win, walking two batters and striking out four while allowing just the one hit.
• She allowed just two balls to be hit out of the infield, on a third-inning single and a fifth-inning fly ball to right.
• The shutout was the Falcons' first since May 13, 2022, and the run-rule victory was BG's first since Feb. 17, 2023. Krafcik is 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA this season to date.
THERE'S NO GETTING HER OUT
• Falcon freshman Aaralyn Nogay continued her stellar play in the sweep of Detroit Mercy. Nogay had three hits and scored three runs in the DH. In the opener, she walked, stole second and scored the Falcons' first run of the day, then had what proved to be the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.
• Game two saw Nogay go 3-for-4 with another stolen base, two runs scored and an RBI. Her third hit of the game was a walk-off single in the fifth inning that gave the Falcons an eight-run lead.
• After going 5-for-9 in the Falcons' three-game series vs. Toledo, the UDM DH gave Nogay a total of eight hits in a five-game span. She raised her batting average 186 points during that time.
RUNNING WITH THE FALCONS
• It's safe to say the Falcons are running more in 2024 than in '23. BGSU had a total of 10 stolen bases in the Buffalo series (March 15-16), including seven in the middle game.
• BGSU single-game records are incomplete, but the seven stolen bases in the aforementioned game was the program's highest single-game total since at least the 2000 season.
• Then, the Falcons swiped 11 bases in the sweep of Detroit Mercy, with five thefts in game one and six more in the nightcap.
• Heading into the Akron series, the Falcons have a total of 37 steals in this season's first 24 games. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.
A FEW MORE NOTES FROM THE DETROIT MERCY DOUBLEHEADER
• Freshman Taylor Behrendt picked up her first collegiate hit in Saturday's second game, on a line drive single to right that also resulted in her first RBI as a Falcon. Behrendt walked three times, stole three bases and scored three runs in the doubleheader. She added another hit three days later at Miami.
• Sophomore Delaney Davis entered Saturday's action having batted just five times in 2024, with no hits on the season. She wound up with three hits on the day, including a 2-for-3 effort in game two, and scored two runs.
• Freshman Emma Denison picked up her first collegiate win in the opener, with three innings of one-run, four-hit relief vs. the Titans.
THIS SEASON TO DATE...
• The Falcons are 4-20 overall, and BGSU is 1-5 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).
• Senior Reagan Williamson is hitting a team-leading .270 on the season, and also paces the Falcons in hits (17), doubles (four), homers (two), RBI (10), total bases and slugging pct.
• Freshmen Aaralyn Nogay and Cameron Kaufman are batting .263 and .255, respectively, on the year, while sophomore Marti Henkel is hitting .238 this spring. Peyton Dolejs has 14 hits, good for second on the team behind Williamson, while Kaufman has 13.
• Seven players have three or more stolen bases on the year, as BG is 37 of 41 as a team.
• In the circle, seven different Falcons have seen action this season. Freshman Emma Denison leads BGSU with a 5.32 ERA, while senior Taylor Turner has a 5.70 ERA. Turner leads the staff in appearances (15) and games started (eight), as well as innings pitched and strikeouts.
• Scarlet Anderson has made six starts (second on the team) and nine appearances overall (tied with Denison for second), while Mackenzie Krafcik, Alivia Roth and Madi Young each have pitched in at least six games this season. Ellie Price, who had been out due to injury, made her 2024 debut on Tuesday at Miami.
• 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
• Akron is 14-18 on the season, and the Zips are 5-4 in MAC play. Meagan Lee paces the UA bats with a .431 batting average, with three of her teammates hitting between .275 and .289 each. In the circle, Haley Croyle is 5-8 with a team-low 3.77 ERA. Three hurlers, including Croyle, have pitched between 67 and 73 innings this season to date. Coach Craig Nicholson returned 10 players from a 2023 team that went 28-23 overall and 16-13 in the MAC.
• The Falcons lead Akron, 63-33-1, in the all-time series, but BGSU is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the Zips. Last year, host Akron swept a three-game series in Northeast Ohio (April 15-16, 2023). In the Zips' last visit to Meserve Field, the Falcons captured the first and last games of a three-game series (April 23-24, 2022).
DOWN THE ROAD
• Following the Akron series, the Falcons will hit the road for three games against Ball State. BGSU will meet the Cardinals in a single game on Friday, April 12, followed by a doubleheader the following day.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will return to Meserve Field for a twinbill vs. Central Michigan on Tuesday, April 16.
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
MI
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
SS/MI
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Util.
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
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