The Bowling Green baseball team was sparked by a five run first inning in game two of their double header to sweep Cleveland State yesterday.
“[The first inning] was big and we told the guys to try to get on the board right away,” said BG head coach Danny Schmitz. “It takes the pressure off the pitchers and defense.”
Jeff Warnock lead off the bottom of the first with a triple and was brought home on an RBI single by Eric Lawson. After a Steve Raszka RBI single to left, Josh Dietz singled to right field, where Vikings rightfielder Marc Sikora booted the ball, scoring Lawson and Nolan Reimold. Jimmy Lipari’s RBI sac fly scored Dietz to end the scoring in the inning.
Warnock had three hits in the game, driving in two runs and scoring three.
“I feel like I’m seeing the ball real well,” said Warnock. “Getting it going early that first at bat set the tone for the rest of the game.”
The Falcons used five pitchers to shutout the Vikings 10-0 at Warren Stellar Field to go 18-7 on the year, surpassing their win total from the previous season.
BG picked up five more runs over the next three innings, while the pitching staff cruised along with the big lead.
Greg Mentrek started and picked up his third win of the season. Relievers Dan Horvath, Ryan Lindquist, Adam Gumpf and Matt Hundley pitched the final five innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven.
Reimold had a monstrous first game. With the score tied at four with two down in the bottom of the seventh inning, Reimold launched a Mike Ochwat pitch deep over the left field wall for a two-run walk off home run. It was his second homer of the game and sixth of the season.
“It was the first time I ever hit a walk off home run,” said Reimold. “I had a pretty good weekend and I’m feeling good at the plate. I’m just staying back and things are falling for me right now.”
Andy Hudak went 2-3 at the plate in the first game and drove in a run. Neil Schmitz pitched the final 1 and 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks, to improve his record to 3-0 this year.
Both games of the double header were seven innings, in order to finish before dark. BG has now won eight consecutive games against Cleveland State, dating back to 1996.
The Falcons are home this weekend as they host Northern Illinois for a three-game series.
