Western Michigan Forces Sunday Rubber Match With Saturday Win Over Bowling Green

Saturday, May 9

Bowling Green, Ohio

8 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

18-31, 11-18

Western Michigan

23-22, 17-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Western Mich.	2	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	7	12	0
Bowling Green	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	5	2

Photo by: Hailey Pettit-Mastroianni, BGSU Athletics

Western Michigan Forces Sunday Rubber Match With Saturday Win Over Bowling Green

May 09, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score BGSU-WMU Box Score Support Our Student-Athletes

Mitta Paces Falcons With Three-Hit Day; Seidel Adds Team-Leading 11th Double

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team and the Western Michigan Broncos had their game Saturday (May 9) pushed back to an 8 p.m. first pitch due to weather, the latest start for a game at Steller Field. Once underway, the Broncos jumped in front with two runs in the first frame. The lead for WMU grew to 6-0 before the Falcons added a tally in the eighth inning, but Western Michigan held on for a 7-1 final score. BGSU and WMU will conclude the series with a rubber match on Sunday (May 10), now set for an adjusted 2 p.m. first pitch.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Western Michigan started the scoring with a two-out rally in the first for a 2-0 advantage.
Anthony Mitta attempted to spark a two-out rally in the bottom of the first for the Falcons, knocking a single to right, but his hit marked the only of the frame for BGSU.
The Broncos added two runs in the third inning to push their lead to 4-0. After three scoreless innings, including 11 straight retired by Ethan Papacek, WMU added two runs in top of the seventh for a 6-0 score.
The Falcons answered in the eighth inning. Vinny Salvione and Carter Mottice were both hit by pitches separated by a Sam Seidel double to right center to load the bases. Mitta put a ball in play to first to score Salvione and put Bowling Green on the board.
Western Michigan stretched their lead to 7-1 with a run in the top of the ninth.

STAT LEADERS

Ethan Papacek: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Titus Lotz: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 3 K
Anthony Mitta: 3-for-4, 1 RBI
Sam Seidel: 1-for-4, 1 2B
Vinny Salvione: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HBP

FALCON STAT FACTS

Ethan Papacek allowed just one earned run over 3.2 innings of work, his first allowed run since April 14. Since then, he's totaled 14 innings pitched with just seven hits and one run allowed while striking out 12.
Anthony Mitta led the BGSU offense with a three-hit day, giving him a four-game hitting streak. The game marked Mitta's sixth three-hit game of the season.
Sam Seidel ripped a double for the Falcons, his team-leading 11th of the season and his first since April 7 against Ohio State.
With the game being delayed to an 8 p.m. start due to weather, it marked the latest start in Steller Field history.

UP NEXT
The Falcons and Broncos will conclude the weekend series, and the regular season home schedule for Bowling Green, on Sunday (May 10) with a 2 p.m. first pitch. Any schedule changes will be announced on BGSUFalcons.com as well as Twitter/X (@BGSU_Baseball).

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