Falcons Close Home Schedule with Tuesday Sweep of Oakland

Tuesday, April 28

Bowling Green, Ohio

2 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

19-26

Oakland

24-19

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oakland	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
Bowling Green	5	0	0	1	2	8	8	0

Mackenzie Krafcik v Oakland | April 28, 2026

Mackenzie Krafcik threw a one-hit shutout, then picked up the save in Tuesday's second game

Photo by: Daniel Carlson, BGSU Athletics

April 28, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

Krafcik throws a one-hit shutout, then picks up a save in the nightcap

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University softball team closed out the home portion of the 2026 schedule on a successful note Tuesday (April 28), posting a doubleheader sweep of Oakland University. The Falcons picked up wins by scores of 8-0 and 4-3 at Meserve Field.

In the final home start of her Falcon career, senior Mackenzie Krafcik threw a one-hit shutout in the opener, facing just one batter above the minimum in the run-rule win. Oakland's lone hit was an infield single in the fourth inning.

The Falcons (20-26) exploded for five runs in the first inning, batting around and chasing Oakland starter Maraina Smith after just a third of an inning. BG added a run in the fourth inning before walking it off in the fifth.

The second game saw BG again take a two-run lead after just two batters, on freshman Hannah Simko's first home run – not only as a Falcon, but at any level of softball.

BG added a second-inning run, but the Golden Grizzlies (24-20) tied the game in the top of the sixth. After a walk to begin the bottom of that sixth inning, junior Peyton Steffes came through with an RBI triple to give BGSU the lead for good.

Junior Alyvia Roth allowed just four hits, pitching into the fifth inning. Sophomore Madison Wendel picked up the win in relief, while Krafcik earned the save, getting three-straight outs after the Grizzlies began the inning with back-to-back singles.

Senior Hannah Hunt was 5-for-6 with a triple in the doubleheader, while classmate Katie Hutter went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double on her birthday.

The Falcons had seven extra-base hits among 15 total safeties in the sweep, while all nine of the visitors' hits were singles.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• Senior Mackenzie Krafcik has not allowed an earned run in 16 2/3 innings, covering her last five appearances. She has lowered her earned-run average from 3.28 to 2.82 in that time.
• Krafcik's shutout in Tuesday's opening game was her fourth complete-game shutout of the season and the sixth of her career.

BONUS NOTE OF THE DAY
• BGSU's first walk of Tuesday's twinbill – drawn by Ashley Chevalier in the first inning of the first game – was a record-setting free pass. Through the conclusion of the DH, the Falcons now have drawn 183 walks this season, breaking the old mark of 177, set in 2012.

ADDITIONAL STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons have shattered (figuratively, not literally) a somewhat-painful school record. BGSU batters have been hit by a pitch no fewer than 52 times this spring. The old mark was 35, set in 2018.
• Redshirt sophomore Addie Martin was hit by a pitch on two occasions Tuesday, upping her school-record total to 18.
• BGSU went 3-for-3 in stolen-base attempts against Oakland. The Falcons now have 92 stolen bases on the season, the second-highest total in program history. The record is 104, set in 1988.
• Four Falcons have at least 15 stolen bases this season, as Martin has 16 while Cameron Kaufman, Hannah Simko and Peyton Steffes each have 15. The 2026 season marks the first time in program history that four players have posted double-digit steal totals.

BGSU-OU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons jumped on Oakland starter Maraina Smith immediately. Peyton Steffes led off the bottom of the first with a double to left-center, and Taylor Behrendt traded places with Steffes with a two-base hit to right-center with one out. The Falcons had the only run they would need, but BG was far from finished.
• Ashley Chevalier walked, and Hannah Hunt and Addie Martin each singled to score a run. Cameron Kaufman then doubled over the center fielder's head to plate two runs, giving BG a 5-0 lead and prompting an Oakland pitching change.
• Mary Newton came on for the Golden Grizzlies, and after walking Katie Hutter, she retired the next two Falcons to get out of the inning.
• Newton faced the minimum six batters over the next two innings, keeping it a five-run game through three innings. But, BG added to the lead in the fourth when Hutter led off with a base hit, Hanna Massaro bunted pinch-runner Delaney Davis to second and Hannah Simko came through with an RBI single.
• Meanwhile, Mackenzie Krafcik was cruising. The senior retired the first nine batters she faced, before Addison Caldwell reached on a base hit to lead off the fourth. Caldwell's perfectly-placed roller was just out of Krafcik's reach, and the OU leadoff hitter beat second baseman Hunt's throw to first.
• But, Krafcik induced the next two batters to hit a soft liner to Steffes in center and a popup to Hunt, respectively, before the senior struck out cleanup hitter Autumn Liebhauser to end the inning.
• After BG extended the lead to six in the bottom of the fourth, Krafcik got another popup to Hunt, a fly ball to Simko in left and a ground ball to third baseman Behrendt in the fifth. Then, BGSU walked it off.
• With one out in the home fifth, Hunt drilled a ball to the gap in right-center for a triple. Martin walked to put runners at the corners, and the Grizzlies went to the bullpen.
• Jessica Nelson came on and fired a strike to Kaufman, with Martin stealing second on the pitch. Then, Kaufman's hard-hit ball glanced off the glove of third baseman Brooklyn Wyczalek and deflected directly to shortstop Liebhauser. Liebhauser fired toward second as Martin attempted to get back to the bag, but the throw was wild and sailed into right field. Pinch-runner Jilliyn Gardner scored from third, and Martin came around to score from second and give the Falcons the victory.
• Krafcik, as mentioned, spun a one-hit shutout, facing just one batter over the minimum. She needed only 56 pitches to get through her five innings, striking out two without walking a batter.
• At the plate, Hunt was 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI. Six of her teammates had one hit apiece, with Martin scoring twice and Kaufman driving in three runs.
• Newton, the second of three pitchers for the Golden Grizzlies, allowed two earned runs and three hits in four innings of work.

BGSU-OU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• For the second-straight game, BGSU took the lead in the opening inning. Steffes drew a walk against OU starter Kenna Bommarito, and Simko followed by turning on an 0-2 pitch for a homer to right. As mentioned, it was Simko's first-ever homer, at any level.
• Hunt singled with two outs, and Martin battled Bommarito through a 14-pitch at-bat, fouling off 10 of those pitches before the OU hurler retired her.
• In the second inning, Kaufman drew a leadoff walk, and came all the way around to score on a double by Hutter just three pitches later.
• The Falcons threatened in the third, as Hunt reached on an infield single and continued to second on an error, and Martin was hit by a pitch with two down, but BG could not add to the lead.
• BG starter Alyvia Roth allowed a two-out single to Liebhauser in the first and an infield hit to Brooklyn Plitz in the third, but retired the other nine batters she faced in that time.
• Through three innings, Roth had thrown 22 total pitches, while Bommarito had thrown 76. The BG junior walked Liebhauser to begin the fourth, but set down the next three hitters, then worked a one-two-three innings on three ground balls in the fifth.
• BG threatened to add to the lead in the fifth after two hitters were retired. Chevalier banged a Bommarito offering through the left side of the infield for a single, and Hunt singled to send pinch-runner Davis to third. Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but with the wind blowing in, Kaufman's drive to straightaway center hung in the air and was caught for the third out.
• Through five innings, Roth's pitch count was at 45, with Bommarito's at 116. But, Plitz and Caldwell began the inning with back-to-back singles.
• The Falcons went to the pen, but Liebhauser greeted Madison Wendel with a line drive that caromed off the pitcher's leg and into left field. Then, an errant throw allowed Plitz to score the Grizzlies' first run of the entire day, with runners at second and third.
• And, Kayla Turmell followed with a single up the middle, and suddenly the game was tied. Turmell took second on a groundout, for the first out of the inning. Then, Taylor Carraway hit a fly ball to right for the second out. Turmell tagged and headed for third, and the throw was off line and skipped into foul territory as Turmell headed for home. But, left fielder Simko fired a strike to the plate as catcher Chevalier applied the tag to end the inning and keep the game knotted at 3-3.
• Izzy Ray replaced Hutter, the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the sixth, with a full count. The freshman took one pitch for a walk, then went to second on Massaro's sac bunt. Steffes followed with a triple to right-center, with Ray scoring easily, and the Falcons had the lead.
• Krafcik entered the circle to begin the seventh, and Bommarito led off with a single up the middle. Then, Storm Kentros singled as well, putting the tying run on second and the potential go-ahead run at first. But, Krafcik struck out pinch-hitter Nelson, and shortstop Martin fielded a Plitz ground ball and beat pinch-runner Annabel Power to the third-base bag for a force. Caldwell's grounder to Martin at short resulted in the third out, giving the Falcons the win.
• Wendel picked up the win in relief, working one inning after Roth had allowed two runs and four hits in five-plus innings. Krafcik got her second save of the season. The three Falcon pitchers combined to throw 81 pitches in seven innings.
• Bommarito allowed four runs and seven hits, throwing a total of 139 pitches in six innings. She walked three batters and struck out two, while BG's pitching trio combined for one walk and one strikeout.
• Oakland outhit the Falcons, 8-7, with the top-four players in the batting order combining for six of those eight hits. Liebhauser was 2-for-2 with a walk, while Plitz went 2-for-4.
• For the Falcons, Hunt was a perfect 3-for-3 to cap a 5-for-6 day. Four other Falcons had one hit apiece, with Simko hitting the two-run homer, Steffes adding a walk and a triple and Hutter doubling.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons conclude the regular-season schedule with a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Miami. BGSU battles the RedHawks in a Friday (May 1) single game, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Miami Softball Stadium.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will meet MU in a Saturday (May 2) doubleheader, with first pitch of the opener set for 1:00 p.m.

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.