The Bowling Green baseball team is set to conclude their non-conference schedule this week, heading on the road to battle Michigan State and Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday against the Spartans and 3 p.m. on Wednesday against the Mastodons.
A win against MSU would give BG a Power 5 win in three straight seasons, having previously defeated Michigan State in 2022 and fifth-ranked Louisville last year.
On Tuesday, Falcon Media Sports Network’s Chas McNeil will be on the call from East Lansing, Michigan, on 88.1 WBGU, starting at 5:45.
Matchup History
Bowling Green and Michigan State have played each other 13 times since 1984, with the Spartans leading the all-time series 8-5. BGSU won the last game between the two teams on March 29, 2022, 12-3.
Meanwhile, BG and Purdue Fort Wayne have faced off 20 times since 2002, with BGSU leading the all-time series, 15-5. The Falcons have won five straight games against the Mastodons, recently beating them 8-7 at Steller Field on April 10.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green sits atop the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with a 26-17 overall and 19-5 conference record.
However, the Falcons have lost their past two MAC series against Kent State and Western Michigan. They are coming off their first shutout loss of the season, falling 11-0 to the Broncos on Sunday.
Bowling Green’s offense is one of the best in the nation.
The Falcons score 9.93 runs per game, the third-most in the country.
BG has scored at least 10 runs in 21 of their 43 games this season.
Additionally, BGSU ranks eighth in the nation with a .432 on-base percentage (OBP), 12th with 427 runs scored, 20th with a .313 batting average (BA) and 267 walks drawn, 21st with a .951 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) and 33rd with a .520 slugging percentage (SLG).
The 267 walks drawn by the Falcons this year are a program record, surpassing the previous best mark of 253 during the 1978 campaign.
However, BGSU’s pitching has been a different story this year.
The Falcons rank sixth in the MAC with a 7.22 earned run average (ERA), seventh with 327 strikeouts and ninth with a .309 opponent batting average (BAA).
Although BG has walked just 198 batters, the fourth-fewest in the conference, they have thrown 44 wild pitches and allowed 92 doubles, the second and third most in the MAC, respectively.
The Bowling Green pitching staff is 41 strikeouts away from matching the program’s single-season record of 368 punchouts, set by the 1999 team.
Scouting Michigan State
Michigan State enters the game in seventh place in the Big Ten standings, holding a 21-23 overall and 9-9 conference record.
The Spartans have heated up recently, winning their last three Big Ten series by taking two of three against Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan.
MSU’s offense has been lackluster this season.
The Spartans rank seventh in the Big Ten with a .293 batting average, 11th with 293 runs scored, 80 doubles, five triples, 42 home runs, a .434 SLG and a .814 OPS and 12th with 186 walks and a .380 OBP.
But Michigan State has struck out just 288 times this year, the fewest in the conference and 16th fewest in the nation.
However, MSU’s pitching has been a strength this season.
The Spartans rank sixth in the Big Ten with a 5.99 ERA and 368 strikeouts.
Michigan State has also walked just 193 batters, the fourth-fewest in the conference.
Scouting Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne sits in fifth place in the Horizon League with a 16-30 overall and 9-15 conference record.
The Mastodons have lost five of their last six games, most recently falling in both games of a doubleheader against Milwaukee on Sunday.
PFW has struggled offensively this season.
They rank fourth in the Horizon League with 186 walks drawn, fifth with a .269 BA, a .358 OBP, 267 runs scored, 82 doubles and 33 home runs.
Additionally, the Mastodons are last in the conference with just seven triples and a .394 SLG.
Purdue Fort Wayne’s pitching has not been much better this year.
PFW ranks fourth in the conference with an 8.25 ERA, fifth with 291 strikeouts and last with a .328 BAA.
However, they have walked just 245 batters, the second-fewest in the Horizon League.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Nathan Archer (Bowling Green #8)
The junior outfielder has been one of the best players in the MAC this season.
Archer leads the MAC with 59 runs scored and 57 runs batted in (RBI). On top of that, he ranks second in the conference with three triples, fourth with 64 hits and 16 home runs, fifth with 13 doubles and ninth with a .649 SLG.
The Lagrange, Ohio, native is making his mark in the record books.
He ranks fourth in program history in single-season home runs (16), seventh in single-season RBI (57), eighth in single-season runs scored (59) and 10th in single-season total bases (131). Additionally, Archer ranks sixth in program history in career home runs (33), sixth in career triples (10) and ninth in career total bases (323).
Archer needs six more RBI to enter the top 10 in program history.
Garrett Wright (Bowling Green #3)
The freshman catcher has been a big reason for Bowling Green’s success this season.
Wright ranks second in the MAC with a .500 OBP, third with a .386 BA and fifth with a 1.094 OPS.
The Massillon, Ohio, native has struck out just seven times in 101 at-bats, the fewest of any MAC player with at least 10 at-bats.
Jack Frank (Michigan State #21)
The senior outfielder has been one of the best batters in the Big Ten this season.
Frank ranks second in the conference with three triples, fourth with 17 stolen bases, fifth with a .624 SLG, sixth with a .370 BA and a 1.079 OPS and ninth with 48 runs scored.
The Strongsville, Ohio, native has recorded a hit in 10 of his last 11 games and homered in MSU’s past two contests.
Justin Osterhouse (Purdue Fort Wayne #17)
The freshman outfielder/infielder is the primary driver of Purdue Fort Wayne’s offense.
Osterhouse ranks third in the Horizon League with a .390 BA, fifth with a 1.133 OPS, sixth with a .455 OBP, eighth with a .678 SLG and ninth with nine home runs.
In the game against BG earlier this season, the Grand Rapids, Michigan, native went 3-4 at the plate, driving in two runs and hitting a home run.
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