The Bowling Green baseball team heads back on the road, traveling two hours east to battle Kent State from Friday through Sunday.
The first pitch between the Falcons and the Golden Flashes is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Orange and Brown have seven different paths to clinch a spot in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament across Saturday and Sunday.
Matchup History
The teams have previously faced each other 199 times since 1936, with KSU leading the all-time series 131-68.
Kent State has won the past four games against BGSU, with BG’s last win in the series dating back to Apr. 9, 2022.
Bowling Green has not swept the Golden Flashes since the 1982 campaign.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green sits atop the MAC standings with a 22-12 overall and 17-1 conference record.
Although the Falcons are coming off their first MAC loss of the season on Sunday, they were the country’s last undefeated team in conference play.
BG’s 17-0 conference play start was the best in MAC history.
To say BGSU’s offense has been dominant this season might be an understatement.
The Falcons are averaging 10.1 runs per game, the fourth-best mark in the country, trailing only Austin Peay (10.2), Tennessee (10.4) and Wofford (11.1).
Orange and Brown have scored double-digit runs in half of their games this season, including a 34-run performance against Ball State on March 16, the most runs scored in the nation this year.
Although BG has played just 34 games, the fewest of any MAC team, they lead the conference with 345 runs scored, 212 walks drawn, a .522 slugging percentage (SLG) and a .430 on-base percentage (OBP).
The Falcons also rank second in the MAC with a .312 batting average and are tied for third with 62 home runs.
Bowling Green’s pitching has not been nearly as dominant as their offense this season.
The Orange and Brown rank sixth in the MAC with a 6.93 earned run average (ERA), seventh with a .300 opponent batting average (BAA) and eighth with 271 strikeouts.
Scouting Kent State
Kent State enters the series in fifth place in the MAC, with a 20-19 overall and 10-8 conference record.
The Golden Flashes have been playing better lately, winning two of their past three games and five of their last seven contests.
KSU has been great at home this season, holding a 10-3 record when playing at Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium.
Kent State’s offense has been solid this season.
The Golden Flashes rank second in the MAC with 289 runs scored, 65 home runs and 200 walks drawn, third with 71 doubles, 10 triples and a .484 SLG, fifth with a .384 OBP and eighth with a .261 batting average.
Kent State has been one of the better pitching staffs in the MAC this season.
KSU ranks second in the conference with a 6.10 ERA, third with 338 strikeouts and fifth with a .295 BAA.
The Flashes have also allowed the second-fewest walks (153) and home runs (41) in the MAC this year.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Nathan Archer (Bowling Green #8)
The junior outfielder continues to rise in the Bowling Green record books.
Archer is currently tied for eighth in program history with 31 career home runs, ninth with nine career triples and 10th with 14 home runs this season. He is nearing the top-10 in program history for career total bases (17 away), single-season runs scored (four away) and single-season runs batted in (RBI) (10 away).
The Lagrange, Ohio, native was recently named MAC Co-Player of the Week for the first time in his career after his dominant performance against Ohio University last weekend.
Garrett Wright (Bowling Green #3)
The freshman catcher has been a key contributor for the Orange and Brown this season.
Wright ranks fourth in the MAC with a .480 OBP and sixth with a .370 batting average.
The Massillon, Ohio, native has struck out just four times in 81 at-bats this season, the fewest of any MAC player with at least 10 at-bats.
The redshirt senior outfielder has been one of the best hitters in the MAC this season.
Johnson ranks fourth in the MAC with 43 RBI. He is also tied for 10th with 51 hits and 10 doubles.
The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, native has also stolen 18 bases this season, the most in the conference.
The senior infielder/outfielder has been one of Kent State’s best players this season.
Orr leads the Golden Flashes with a 1.100 on-base plus slugging percentage, a .351 batting average, 36 runs scored, nine home runs, a .627 SLG and a .473 OBP.
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