The red-hot Bowling Green baseball team returns to the road, traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio, to battle Xavier in a three-game series from Thursday to Saturday.
First pitch between the Falcons and the Musketeers is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Thursday, 2 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Matchup History
The teams have previously played each other 27 times, with BG leading the all-time series 16-11.
However, this will mark the first meeting between the programs since 2014, when Xavier won 7-0.
Scouting Bowling Green
The Falcons lead the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with an 11-8 overall and 9-0 conference record.
BG has won six straight games and is off to their best start in MAC play in program history.
The Orange and Brown’s offense has been on fire this season, leading the MAC with 193 runs scored and a .502 slugging percentage. BGSU is averaging 10.2 runs and 1.68 home runs per game, the sixth and 10th best marks in the country, respectively.
BG also ranks second in the conference with a .300 batting average, nine triples and a .416 on-base percentage while ranking third in the MAC with 32 home runs.
On top of this, the Falcons have struck out just 147 times this season, the fewest in the conference.
However, Bowling Green’s pitching ranks in the middle of the pack in the MAC.
BGSU ranks sixth in the conference with a 7.62 earned run average, eighth with a .315 opponent’s batting average and ninth with 153 strikeouts.
Scouting Xavier
Xavier enters the series with a 12-13 record this season; however, they do not begin conference play until after this weekend’s series against the Falcons.
The Musketeer’s offense has ranked in the middle of the Big East Conference so far this season.
Xavier ranks fifth in the conference with a .460 slugging percentage and a .830 on-base plus slugging percentage.
Xavier also ranks sixth in the conference with a .269 batting average, a .370 on-base percentage and 149 runs scored.
But the Musketeers lead the Big East with 36 home runs and 51 doubles.
The Musketeers’ pitching also ranks in the middle of the pack in the Big East.
While Xavier leads the MAC with 211 strikeouts, they have thrown 128 walks and allowed 34 strikeouts, the second and third-worst marks in the conference, respectively.
Xavier also ranks seventh in the Big East with a 6.73 earned-run average.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Tyler Ross (Bowling Green #18)
The senior infielder is the reigning MAC Player of the Week.
During last weekend’s sweep against Akron, Ross batted .455 (5-11) and slugged 1.273. Ross also hit two doubles, two triples and a home run while driving in four runs and scoring four times.
The Lewis Center, Ohio, native is tied for the MAC lead with three triples, ranking second with a .761 slugging percentage and ninth with a .358 batting average and six doubles.
Nathan Archer (Bowling Green #8)
The junior outfielder, named Second Team All-MAC last season, continues to be one of the prominent leaders for Bowling Green.
Archer is coming off a phenomenal performance against the Zips on Sunday, where he went 5-5 at the plate, drove in two runs and scored four times.
This season, the Lagrange, Ohio, native ranks third in the MAC with two triples, fourth with 25 runs scored, sixth with 24 runs batted in and 10th with six doubles.
The senior infielder, reigning Big East Player of the Week who was named to the All-Big East Second Team last season, has continued to dominate at the plate this season.
Over the past four games, McCormick has batted .400 (6-15), driving in nine runs and scoring six times.
The Chicago, Illinois, native leads the Big East with nine home runs, ranking third with 27 runs batted in and fourth with 16 walks drawn.
The sophomore infielder, who did not play last season, has been a nightmare for opposing pitchers this season.
The Centennial, Colorado, native ranks fourth in the Big East with a .719 slugging percentage, sixth with six home runs and eighth with a .386 batting average.
