History continues to be made in Bowling Green.
The Bowling Green baseball team (20-11, 15-0 MAC) defeated Youngstown State (5-30, 3-12 Horizon League) at Steller Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The victory extended their home winning streak to eight games, marking their best start at home since the 1975 season and the first time in program history they have won their first eight home games against all Division I opponents.
With the victory, BG extended their winning streak to five games and matched last season’s win total.
The Falcons struck first, as sophomore catcher Cooper McKenzie drove in senior third baseman Leighton Banjoff on a single to take the early lead in the bottom of the second.
The Penguins responded with a solo home run by senior outfielder RJ Sherwood, tying the game at one apiece in the top of the third inning.
After junior outfielder Nathan Archer scored on a bases-loaded walk, redshirt freshman infielder Brady Birchmeier drove in three runs on a double, giving BGSU a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the third frame.
The Falcons continued the offensive barrage in the bottom of the fifth, with freshman infielder TJ Takats scoring on an error and McKenzie scoring on a single by junior outfielder Caden Parker, pushing Bowling Green’s lead to 7-1.
Youngstown State did not go away easily, though. Junior outfielder Teddy Ruffner drove in two runs on a single, cutting BG’s advantage to 7-3 in the top of the sixth inning.
After this, Bowling Green went back on the offensive in the bottom of the sixth. Senior outfielder Jack Krause scored on a bases-loaded walk, and Banjoff scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch before Archer drove in two runs on a double, extending the Falcons lead to 11-3.
YSU continued to fight back, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth inning, cutting BG’s lead to five runs, 11-6.
Archer hit his team-high 11th home of the season to extend Bowling Green’s advantage to 12-6 in the bottom of the eighth. The homer marked the 28th of Archer’s career, moving him into a tie with Larry Owen for the 10th-most in program history.
Although the Penguins made a late rally, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, the Falcons closed the door to secure the three-run victory.
BGSU sophomore pitcher Perry Miller started for the first time in a collegiate career. The right-hander tossed four innings of one-run baseball, giving up five hits and one walk while striking out three to earn his fourth win.
While sophomore pitchers Kade Arn and Luke Krouse, freshman pitcher Brock Amelung and senior pitcher Logan Bell all appeared in relief, it was senior pitcher Isaiah Seidel who came in to get the last out of the game and picked up the save, his first of the season.
Meanwhile, Youngstown State trotted out seven pitchers in the loss.
Although Youngstown State outhit the Falcons 15-7, the Orange and Brown drew 11 walks and struck out just four times. The teams combined to leave 23 runners on base.
Next, the Falcons will seek to extend their historic Mid-American Conference winning streak in a three-game series against the Ohio Bobcats from Friday through Sunday.
