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Falcons Win Nightcap for Split With CMU; BGSU Still in the Hunt for MAC Tournament Berth
May 8, 2004
Final Stats -- Game One
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Freshman Ashley Zirkle's pinch-hit single scored pinch-runner Marla Murphy in the sixth inning, giving the Bowling Green State University softball team a 4-3 win over Central Michigan University Saturday afternoon (May 8). The win gave the Falcons a split of the teams' Mid-American Conference doubleheader at the BGSU Softball Field, after the Chippewas had taken the opening game by a 3-1 count.
The Falcons are now 29-26 overall and 13-10 in MAC play. BGSU will enter Sunday's action needing a win OR a Marshall loss vs. Kent State to clinch a berth in the MAC Tournament. Central Michigan is now 31-15 overall and 20-3 in league action, and the Chippewas' game-one win wrapped up the number-one seed in next week's conference tourney.
The Falcons started off well in game one. Freshman Jeanine Baca led off the bottom of the first with a sharp single off the glove of diving shortstop Stephanie Crews. Classmate Emmy Ramsey bunted Baca to second, and sophomore Lindsay Heimrich followed with a line single up the middle. Baca had to hold up to let the ball go through the infield in front of her, but was able to score ahead of the throw home, giving the Falcons an early 1-0 lead. CMU ace Amber Puchalski allowed her third single of the inning, a blooper down the right-field line by sophomore Gina Rango, but got out of a one-out, second-and-third jam without further damage.
The Chippewas' Brittany Decker, however, followed with a single up the middle to plate both runners and give the visitors the lead. Vrabel got a grounder for the second out, with Decker moving to third with two down. Then, Aimee Smith hit a grounder that shortstop Jenifer Kernahan fielded behind the second-base bag, and relayed to Heimrich at first in time to end the inning.
Following the first inning, Puchalski settled down. The winningest pitcher in MAC history did not allow another hit until the fourth, and CMU picked a runner off second base to end that inning. The Chippewas added to the lead, scoring a big insurance run in the fifth. Hohs reached on a one-out single, and stole second. Vrabel got Decker on a called third strike for the second out, but Lindsey Calme hit a scorcher that caromed off Vrabel's shin into foul territory on the first-base side. Vrabel and catcher Abby Habicht each pursued the ball, but Calme was able to beat out Habicht's throw for a single. On the play, Hohs alertly came all the way around to score, as no Falcon could get back to cover the plate in time. Vrabel was able to remain in the game, and the Falcons caught pinch-runner Erika Morris attempting to steal, ending the inning. In the Falcon half of the fifth, freshman Megan McPherson reached as her soft liner hit off the third-base bag for a one-out single. Then, Baca drew a walk, putting two runners aboard against Puchalski for the first time since the opening inning. Then, the CMU hurler got Ramsey to hit a grounder to shortstop Crews, who unsuccessfully tried to tag McPherson before throwing to first for the second out. The Falcons had two runners in scoring position, but Puchalski got a strikeout to end the inning and the threat. She then got out of a jam in the sixth and set the Falcons down in the seventh, after a leadoff walk to McPherson. Puchalski picked up the win, improving to 20-7 on the year. She allowed one run on seven hits, walking three batters and striking out five. Vrabel took the loss to fall to 14-15. She allowed three runs and five hits in her five-inning stint, walking one batter and whiffing six. Heimrich gave up two hits in a pair of scoreless innings of relief, striking out three Chippewas without issuing a walk. Each team had seven hits in the first game, with Hohs leading the way for the visitors. She went 3-for-4 and reached base on an error in her other at-bat. Hohs scored a pair of runs in the win. For the Falcons, Habicht had a pair of hits in three at-bats, while Kernahan, Baca and McPherson each had a hit and a walk. In the second game, the Falcons again got on the board early. Baca led off the first inning with a bloop single on the grass behind third base, and moved to second on Heimrich's sac bunt one out later. With two down, Rango plated Baca with a single up the middle. The Chippewas, however, tied the contest in the second, as Crews singled to score Christin Sobeck from second base with two outs. In the BG half of the second inning, Kernahan led off with a long double to left-center, and took third on Habicht's sac bunt. But, CMU starter Jessica Garvin got a strikeout for the second out. Then, with McPherson at the plate, Garvin threw a pitch in the dirt that skipped past catcher Calme. But, Calme flipped the ball to Garvin, who applied the tag on Kernahan attempting to score to end the inning. The Falcons displayed some solid defense in the third. Rango charged to grab a bunt attempt by Decker and throw her out, then Heimrich made a diving stop of Calme's liner toward first. The ball trickled into foul ground, but Heimrich was able to track it down, then dive and tag the bag ahead of the runner. Heimrich led off the fourth inning with a sharp single to right. Chippewa rightfielder Jacque Benedict, looking for the 9-3 putout, saw the ball go under her glove and roll toward the wall. Heimrich advanced all the way to third on the error, then scored easily when Rango's chopper bounded over the third baseman and into left for a single. Junior Kristen Anderson, squaring to bunt on a 1-1 pitch, could not get out of the way as the pitch was inside, and it hit her, putting two runners on base. Then, Kernahan's opposite-field single plated Rango to put the Falcons ahead by two runs. Each runner was able to move up a base, putting runners at second and third, but the Falcons squandered an opportunity to increase the lead. Garvin got Habicht to fly out to left, then induced junior Stephanie Finkel to ground to second, with Anderson getting caught in a rundown between third and home. Then, Garvin issued a walk to McPherson to load the bases, but got Baca to pop up to squelch the rally. CMU made some noise in the fifth, as Allie Hanson drew a one-out walk, and Hohs followed with a single off Falcon senior Jody Johnson. Johnson then got Decker on a called third strike, but Calme came through with a two-out single to center, scoring pinch-runner Morris. The runners took second and third on the throw to the plate, and Smith worked Johnson for a walk to load the bases. Then, Sobeck was hit by a pitch to force home the tying run in the person of Hohs. Johnson then recovered to get Christan Dhondt to pop up to Kernahan for the final out. The Falcons rallied to take the lead in the sixth. Kernahan led off the inning with her third hit of the game, a double off the top of the wall in left. Garvin got a strikeout for the first out, before Finkel's liner was grabbed by Crews at shortstop. With two outs, however, Zirkle came through with a single to center, and Murphy was able to score ahead of Calme's tag attempt. In the seventh, Ramsey made a nice running catch of Hohs' liner, and Johnson then got Decker to ground back to the circle for the second out. She picked up her seventh strikeout of the game by getting a swinging third strike on Calme to end the game. Johnson raised her record to 11-7 with the complete-game victory. She allowed three runs on five hits, walking four batters and striking out seven. Garvin took the loss to fall to 9-6. She gave up four runs and eight hits in her six innings of work. Garvin had two walks and six strikeouts. At the plate, Kernahan led the way with a 3-for-3 day, with a pair of doubles and a run batted in. Rango was 2-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI. BGSU held an 8-5 advantage in the hits department, as five different Chippewa players had one hit apiece. Smith was 1-for-1 with a pair of walks, while Sobeck had a run scored and a run batted in. The teams are scheduled to return to the diamond Sunday afternoon (May 9), completing the series with a single game that begins at 1:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field. The Falcons' three fourth-year players -- Johnson, Kernahan and Murphy -- will be recognized in 'Senior Day' festivities prior to the game.
MAC STANDINGS West Division Team (Overall) MAC (Pct.) Central Mich. (31-15). 20- 3 (.870) Western Mich. (28-24). 15- 7 (.682) Bowling Green (29-26). 13-10 (.565) Eastern Mich. (17-28). 7-15 (.318) Ball State (15-39).... 7-17 (.292) Northern Ill. (14-39). 6-16 (.273) Toledo (20-33)........ 4-17 (.190) NOTES
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