May 17, 2002

Final Stats

Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green pounded out 18 hits against visiting Akron on Friday afternoon at a chilly Warren Steller Field for a 15-11 victory. The Falcons (15-7) move to within one game of Kent State (16-6) for first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division. KSU vs. Miami was rained out on Friday.

The Falcons used four runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to overcome 4-3 and 10-8 deficits. BGSU's Kelly Hunt fittingly gave the Falcons the lead for good in the sixth inning when he smacked his 18th home run of the season, driving in Corey Loomis from second base, for a 11-10 lead. His 18 home runs ties Lee Morrison (2001) for the school's single-season record. With the four-bagger, Hunt became just the sixth MAC player all-time to drive in 70 runs in one season, joining BGSU assistant coach Chris Hoiles (70, 1986), among others.

Senior Nick Elrod followed Hunt's home run with a single, stole second base, and moved to third on a wild pitch before classmate Len Elias drove him home for a 12-10 BGSU advantage. Elias hit an RBI-single in the fifth inning to make him BGSU's career leader in runs batted in with 163, passing Larry Arndt (162) on the all-time list.

Akron narrowed the lead to one with a run in the top of the seventh inning, 12-11. But, the Falcons got it back in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Jeff Warnock scored from third base on a wild pitch. BGSU added two more in the eighth frame when Hunt scored off of a throwing error and Andy Hudak hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Elrod, for the final 15-11 score.

Neil Schmitz, who entered with two outs in the seventh inning, hit the lead-off batter in the ninth inning but retired the next three Zips, including two strikeouts, to earn his sixth save of the year. Schmitz pitched the final two and one-third innings, allowing just one hit and no walks with five strikeouts.

Hunt, Loomis and Warnock each finished with three hits while Warnock scored a game-high four times. Four other Falcons had two hits apiece. BGSU turned three double plays in the game while stranding just five runners. Akron left 10 runners on base.

BGSU (28-20 overall, 15-7 MAC) plays a doubleheader against Akron on Saturday, May 18, beginning at 1 p.m.

FALCON NOTES:
* The 15-11 victory assures BGSU a spot in next week's MAC Tournament with a chance to host still a possibility.
* With a doubleheader sweep on Saturday, BGSU will have 30 wins for the fourth time in the past five years.
* SR Len Elias now has five career records at BGSU with his two RBIs on Friday (at-bats, runs scored, doubles, total bases and RBIs). He is just five hits (247) away from becoming the all-time leader in school history in that category (Chuck Black-251).
* JR Kelly Hunt is not only tied with Lee Morrison for most home runs in a season (18), the first baseman is also tied with Morrison for career home runs with 32 (3rd all-time at BGSU).
* JR Kelly Hunt (147 total bases) is two bases away from breaking Lee Morrison's record for total bases in a season (149).