The Bowling Green baseball team (1-2) earned their first win of the 2024 campaign Sunday afternoon, defeating the Middle Tennessee State (2-1) 7-3 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  

The Falcons avoided a season-opening sweep after falling to the Blue Raiders on Friday and Saturday.   

After Bowling Green went down in order in the top of the first inning, Middle Tennessee tallied two singles and a run against BGSU starter Calvin Mitchell in the bottom half of the frame, taking the early 1-0 lead.   

However, the run against the sophomore pitcher was unearned after a throwing error by BG senior third baseman Leighton Banjoff earlier in the inning.  

Banjoff wasted no time making up for his mistake, driving in a run on a fielder’s choice to even the score at one apiece in the top of the second inning.   

After holding the Blue Raiders scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, sophomore shortstop Sam Seidel and sophomore designated hitter DJ Newman scored on an error by MTSU in the top of the third inning, giving BG the 3-1 lead and knocking Middle Tennessee State’s starter, sophomore Bryant Beranek, out of the game after just 2.2 innings.   

Junior outfielder Gavin Ganun drove two more runs in for the Falcons on a bases-loaded double with two outs, pushing BG’s lead to 5-1 after a four-run top of the third for the Orange and Brown.  

The Blue Raiders added another run in the bottom of the third inning after a wild pitch by Mitchell, cutting BG’s lead to 5-2. Once again, the run against Mitchell was ruled unearned after a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt by the right-hander earlier in the inning.  

BG tacked on another run in the top of the fourth inning, as junior outfielder Nathan Archer walked before scoring after three wild pitches, pushing Bowling Green’s lead to 6-2.  

The Falcons added their final run of the game in the top of the seventh, as Banjoff scored after MTSU walked Archer with the bases loaded, extending BGSU’s lead to 7-2.  

Middle Tennessee State did not go down without a fight, adding another run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning, cutting BG’s lead to 7-3.  

Mitchell earned the win in his first start for the Falcons. Meanwhile, Beranek suffered his first loss of the season. 

Mitchell pitched five innings, giving up four hits and two runs, both of which were unearned. The 6-foot-2-inch right-hander from Brecksville, Ohio, also struck out four while walking just one.  

Sophomore pitcher Luke Krouse came into the game in relief for Mitchell, filling 2.1 innings. The left-hander gave up four hits and one run while striking out three in his first appearance this season.  

Senior Logan Bell and sophomore Jacob Turner also made their first appearances on the mound this season.  

Bell pitched 1.1 innings scoreless innings, while Turner faced two batters and notched a strikeout to finish the game.  

While Bowling Green left 15 batters on base compared to MTSU’s six, the Falcons tallied nine hits compared to the Blue Raiders’ eight.   

Although BG failed to register an extra-base hit, they drew eight walks and saw four batters get hit by pitches. The Falcons also stole four bases without being caught on the basepaths.  

Next up, the Orange and Brown will stay in the state of Tennessee, heading three-and-a-half hours west to battle the Memphis Tigers in a three-game series from Friday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, 3 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.