Falcons Post Two Come-From-Behind Victories on Opening Day

Friday, February 6

Hampton, Va.

10 a.m.

Bowling Green State University

1-0

Queens Univ.

0-1

Bowling Green St.

Queens

Taylor Behrendt | Sept. 20, 2025, v Tiffin

Junior Taylor Behrendt had 2 hits in each of Friday's wins

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

February 06, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BGSU downs Queens, Hampton at 1868 Classic

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

HAMPTON, Va. – The Bowling Green State University softball team posted a pair of come-from-behind victories at the 1868 Classic on Friday (Feb. 6). On the first day of the season, the Falcons topped Queens University of Charlotte, 7-5, before downing host Hampton University, 11-9, at Pirates Softball Field.

Due to darkness (Friday) and the weather forecast (Saturday), the remainder of the 1868 Classic was canceled. BGSU's games were the only two of the tournament's six scheduled games to be played.

In the opening game, the Falcons were held hitless by Queens starting pitcher Addison Kluck into the sixth inning. But, with just four outs to go, BGSU proceeded to score two runs in the sixth inning and five more in the seventh.

The second contest was a back-and-forth affair, as BG took an early lead before Hampton scored five times in the second. The Falcons answered immediately, crossing the plate five times in the top of the third. A three-run bottom of the third gave the Pirates an 8-7 lead.

Each team scored a fifth-inning run before a two-run double by Kendall Mathews gave BGSU a 10-9 lead in the sixth. The Falcons added an insurance run in the seventh.

Alyvia Roth picked up the win in relief in the opening game, while Mackenzie Krafcik, who had started the opener, earned the victory in relief in game two.

Roth pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, the longest outing of her career, and the win was the first of her collegiate career.

In the second game, Krafcik threw 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball, and struck out a career-high six batters.

At the plate, junior Taylor Behrendt had two hits in each game and scored three runs, while redshirt sophomore Addie Martin homered and had five runs batted in. Senior Ashley Chevalier walked five times, including four in the second game.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• The Falcons are off to a 2-0 start to the season for the first time in four years. The 2022 club won three games to begin the year, en route to a 34-21 overall record.

ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• Senior Ashley Chevalier walked no fewer than four times in Friday's win over Hampton, the highest single-game total by a Falcon in nearly 15 years.
• No player had drawn four walks in a game since May 1, 2011. On that date, believe it or not, two Falcons turned the trick, as Paige Berger walked five times and Hannah Fulk four in a 5-4, 14-inning win over Ball State.

BGSU-QUEENS – HOW IT HAPPENED
• Queens starting pitcher Addison Kluck took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. She allowed only three baserunners through the first five frames, on walks to Hannah Hunt in the second, Katie Hutter in the fourth and Ashley Chevalier in the fifth.
• Hutter made it as far as third base in the fourth inning, after a Taylor Behrendt sacrifice bunt and a fly ball off the bat of Hunt. But, she was stranded there as Kluck got an inning-ending strikeout.
• Meanwhile, Mackenzie Krafcik worked around a pair of first-inning singles, retiring the next five Royals before Lauren Byrd led off the third inning with a double. Byrd advanced to third on a sac bunt, but Krafcik got a ground ball to shortstop and a foul pop to first base to end the inning.
• But, Queens would break on top in the fourth. After a leadoff error, Lindsay Henson homered to break the scoreless tie. Three batters later, Kami Diaz also hit a two-run homer to make it a 4-0 game.
• Alyvia Roth, the Falcons' third pitcher of the inning, entered the game with one out and a runner on first, and retired the next two batters.
• That began a stretch of nine-straight hitters set down by Roth. Meanwhile, the BG bats awakened in the sixth.
• After Kluck retired the first two batters, Behrendt ended the no-hit bid with a single to left. Hunt followed with a walk, and Addie Martin scored them both with a double to left-center, cutting the Queens lead in half.
• And, in the seventh, Kendall Mathews hit a one-out homer to get the Falcons within a run. The Royals made a pitching change, but Hanna Massaro reached on an error by relief hurler Izzy Lawrence. Peyton Steffes singled and Hutter was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Behrendt singled to score Massaro with the tying run.
• Kluck returned to the circle, and got the second out. But, Martin was hit by a pitch, allowing Steffes to trot home with the go-ahead run, and Cameron Kaufman's two-run single gave the Orange and Brown a 7-4 lead.
• In the bottom of the seventh, Leila Susaia hit a one-out solo homer to end Roth's streak of nin consecutive batters retired. Then, after a fly ball produced the second out, Madison Cantoni and Sage Farmer had back-to-back singles to bring the potential winning run to the plate. Roth, however, got Henson to hit a game-ending fly ball to right.
• Behrendt was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Martin drove in three runs and Kaufman two.

BGSU-HAMPTON – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons got off to a fast start against the Pirates. With one out, Hannah Simko singled to center in the first at-bat of her collegiate career, and promptly picked up her first stolen base. Behrendt followed with a single, taking second on the throw as Simko went to third, and Simko scored on a passed ball. Then, Hunt's line drive to right allowed Behrendt to tag and score from third for a 2-0 lead.
• Madison Wendel, making her BGSU debut, set down the Pirates in order in the first, but back-to-back singles and a hit batter loaded the bases in the second, and Camryn Hamilton's single plated two runs to tie the game.
• The Pirates would score three more times in the inning, on an error, a Kylee Quinn single and a passed ball.
• BGSU, however, matched Hampton's five-run second with a five-spot in the third, all after the first two hitters were retired. Hunt singled, and Martin homered to right to make it a one-run game. Kaufman followed with a single through the left side, and after she stole second, the Pirates made a pitching change with a 3-0 count on Chevalier. One pitch later, Chevalier walked, and Mathews then drew a walk as well, loading the bases. A wild pitch scored Kaufman to tie the game, and Massaro singled to plate Chevalier ahead of a throw home. On the play, Mathews scored as well on the catcher's unsuccessful throw as Massaro took second. BGSU had a 7-5 lead.
• But, the hosts came right back. Three walks loaded the bases with one out, before Krafcik entered the circle. A ground ball to Martin at third produced an out at the plate, but Aitirihna Aiken walked and Jayleen Reeves hit a bloop single that scored two teammates.
• Hampton led, 8-7, after just three innings. After a scoreless fourth, the Falcons tied the game in the fifth as Chevalier led off with a walk, and a wild pitch sent pinch-runner Delaney Davis to second. One out later, Massaro walked and Steffes singled off the glove of pitcher McKenzie Rimmer-Jones. Then, pinch-hitter Hutter hit a grounder to second base, with Davis beating the throw home for the tying run.
• But, the Pirates answered in the bottom of the inning on a pair of singles sandwiched around a wild pitch.
• In the sixth, Kaufman was hit by a pitch with one out, and Chevalier – what else? – drew a walk, her fourth of the game. Mathews followed with a sinking liner that was out of the reach of diving left fielder Reeves. The ball went to the wall as both runners scored to give the Falcons a 10-9 lead.
• In the bottom of the inning, Riley Bohanon singled with one out. But, as the snow started to fly, Krafcik struck out back-to-back batters, getting Santrea Armstead swinging and Hamilton looking.
• In the seventh, the Falcons picked up an insurance run. Simko led off with a chopper to short, beating it out for a single. She stole second and took third on Behrendt's sac bunt. Then, Hunt singled to right as Simko scored BG's 11th run of the game.
• In the bottom of the frame, Krafcik got Rimmer-Jones to pop up to Hunt at second, then struck out both Aiken and Reeves to nail down the victory.
• Four Falcons – Behrendt, Hunt, Martin and Simko – had two hits apiece as BG had 12 as a team. Chevalier, Kaufman and Simko each scored a pair of runs.
• Chevalier, as mentioned, had four walks, the highest single-game total by a Falcon in nearly 15 years.
• Hunt, Martin and Mathews all drove in two runs.
• Krafcik, as mentioned, picked up the win in relief, allowing just one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. She walked one batter and struck out a career-high six.

UP NEXT
• Saturday's games in the 1868 Classic have been canceled. BGSU's next action will be next Friday (Feb. 13), as the Falcons take on Lipscomb and Towson in the Purple & White Classic in Greenville, S.C.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball) and Instagram (@bgsu_softball) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.