BG Blanks Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, Sunday

Sunday, March 1

Madeira Beach, Fla.

9 a.m.

Bowling Green State University

10-5

Bethune-Cookman

4-16

Bowling Green

Bethune-Cookman

Ava McKee, shown here in a 2025 home win, hit her first collegiate homer -- again -- on Sunday

Photo by: Daniel Carlson

March 01, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Falcons fall to Siena in final contest at Make It Happen Games

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Senior Mackenzie Krafcik fired a complete-game, four-hit shutout on Sunday morning (March 1), leading the Bowling Green State University softball team to a 2-0 win over Bethune-Cookman on the final day of the Make It Happen Games.

In BGSU's second game of the day, Siena rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to post a 5-4, walk-off win.

Freshman Hannah Simko drove in the only two runs of the first game, with a second-inning double. Sophomore Ava McKee hit her first collegiate homer – for the second time on the weekend – in the nightcap.*

Simko was 2-for-4 vs. the Wildcats in game one, while redshirt sophomore Addie Martin went 2-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch in the Siena contest.

* McKee homered in the seventh inning of BG's game vs. UIC on Friday, only to see the round-tripper wiped away after inclement weather hit and the game reverted to the last completed inning.

BGSU vs. BETHUNE COOKMAN – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons drew three walks in the top of the first inning, as Katie Hutter, Taylor Behrendt and Cameron Kaufman all reached base, but Aimi Tohara-Yshiki entered the circle for the Wildcats and got an inning-ending strikeout.
• In the bottom of the first, Falcon starter Mackenzie Krafcik worked around a two-out throwing error, retiring the next hitter.
• BGSU scored two runs – one more than Krafcik would need – in the second. Addie Martin reached on an error to begin the inning, then stole second and went to third on a one-out single by Peyton Steffes. Steffes stole second as well, and both runners scored on a Hannah Simko double.
• In the bottom of the inning, Zariah Billinger reached on an infield single, but Krafcik got the next hitter, Aysiah Gonzalez, to ground into a double play. That was the first of 12-straight batters retired by the senior.
• BG put three runners on in the third, loading the bases as Hannah Hunt was hit by a pitch, Kaufman singled, Ashley Chevalier bunted them over and Martin was plunked as well. But, Mia Gonzalez entered the circle and got a fly ball to shallow center and a popup to short.
• Hutter singled and Hunt walked in the fourth, before Kendall Mathews drew a free pass in the fifth, and Simko singled to begin the sixth. But, the score remained the same.
• Mia'Lani Mayo broke Bethune-Cookman's baserunning drought with an infield hit with one down in the sixth, but back-to-back ground balls produced back-to-back force plays at second base, and the game headed to the seventh.
• After BG went in order in the top of the inning, the Wildcats looked to mount a rally. Held to just two hits through the first six innings, the 'Cats got a pinch-hit single from Molly Blackwood, followed by a Billinger base knock. But, with runners at first and second and only one out, Krafcik got Aysiah Gonzalez to fly out to shallow right, before inducing Jessica Alaan to hit a game-ending ground ball to Kaufman at short.
• Simko, as mentioned, had two of BGSU's five hits and drove in the game's only two runs. Hutter and Kaufman each walked and singled in the win. Billinger went 2-for-3 for the Wildcats.
• Krafcik faced just four batters over the minimum in her complete-game shutout win. She struck out two hitters and did not issue a walk.

BGSU vs. SIENA – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons got first-inning singles from Katie Hutter and Hannah Hunt, but a fielder's choice retired the side. Then, the Saints took the lead in the bottom of the inning, as after a walk and an Emma Petersen single, Cali DeLawder's base hit scored Chloe Cummings with the game's first run. Then, with two down, Lauren Melton singled to plate another run, before the Falcons throw out DeLawder attempting to take third on the play.
• It didn't take BGSU long to tie the score. Addie Martin walked on four pitches with one out in the second inning, and Ava McKee followed with a two-run homer. The round-tripper, as noted above, was her second of the weekend, but officially was the first of her BGSU career.
• The Falcons scored in the third, with a two-out rally. Cameron Kaufman singled and Kendall Mathews walked before Martin's single to left scored Kaufman. McKee walked to load the bases, but a ground ball to short ended the inning.
• Madison Wendel retired the Saints in order in the fourth. After allowing three hits in the first inning, Wendel would allow just two baserunners – on a single and an error – over the next five frames.
• BGSU left the bases loaded again in the fourth. Hannah Simko and Hutter walked, and Taylor Behrendt singled. But, after an infield-fly popup, two line drives were caught, as Kaufman's smash was grabbed by the third baseman and a Mathews drive was snared in center field.
• Martin led off with an infield single in the fifth, and McKee walked before a Peyton Steffes bunt single loaded the bases once again. Hutter was hit by a pitch to score a run and make it a 4-2 game, but BG again left three runners on.
• In the seventh, a throwing error allowed the leadoff batter to reach base for the Saints, and a single put two runners aboard with nobody out.
• Mackenzie Krafcik replaced Wendel in the circle, and immediately got a popup to third for the first out. A Carlie Venables grounder to the right side produced the second out, but scored a run to cut BG's lead to 4-3.
• The next hitter, Megan Klein, reached when her check-swing ball went through the left side of the infield to plate the tying run. A single up the middle put runners at first and second before Peterson doubled to give her team the walk-off win.
• Martin was 2-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, a run scored and an RBI. McKee walked twice and had the two-run homer in four trips to the plate.
• Peterson had two hits for the Saints, including the walk-off winner. Both teams had eight hits, with seven different players recording at least one.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will head to the Myrtle Beach area for a Wednesday (March 4) matchup with Coastal Carolina. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will face Charleston Southern in a three-game series next weekend, including a Friday (March 6) doubleheader and a Saturday (March 7) single game.

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.