BGSU baseball will begin a five-game road trip by facing the Youngstown State Penguins at Eastwood Field on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Tyler Kavalecz and Chas McNeil will have the call on Falcon Radio, beginning at 4:45 p.m. for pregame.
Matchup History
The teams have faced each other 21 times, with Youngstown State leading the all-time series 13-8.
The Falcons won the first matchup between the Penguins earlier this season, defeating YSU 12-7 at Steller Field on March 25.
BG has won two straight and five of the past six games against Youngstown State.
Scouting Bowling Green
BGSU comes into the game in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), with a 21-9 overall and 11-4 conference record.
The Falcons are coming off their second MAC series loss of the season after dropping two of three games to Miami (OH) at Steller Field.
BG’s offense has been solid this season, leading the MAC with a .302 batting average. They also rank second with 49 stolen bases, third with 147 walks and a .406 on-base percentage (OBP) and sixth with 219 runs scored.
However, BGSU’s power numbers are much lower than last season.
The Orange and Brown rank fifth in the conference with six triples, 58 doubles and a .462 slugging percentage. BG also ranks just seventh in the conference with 34 home runs.
BGSU’s pitching has also been solid this season.
The Falcons rank third in the MAC with a 6.02 earned run average (ERA) and 254 strikeouts.
However, control has been an issue this season.
Bowling Green has thrown 38 wild pitches, the most in the MAC. They have also given up 39 home runs and a .308 opponent batting average, the second-worst in the conference.
Scouting Youngstown State
Youngstown State has had a rough season, ranking second-to-last in the Horizon League standings with a 7-23 overall and 4-8 conference record.
The Penguins are coming off a series win, defeating Oakland in two of three matchups.
YSU is 1-2 against the MAC, with their only win being a 13-3 victory over Toledo on April 1.
Youngstown State’s offense has been middle of the pack in the Horizon League this season.
The Penguins rank second in the conference with 59 doubles, seven triples and 155 walks, third with a .272 batting average, 192 runs, 35 home runs, a .452 slugging percentage and a .388 OBP and fourth with 40 stolen bases.
However, YSU has struck out 289 times this year, the most in the Horizon League.
However, Youngstown State’s pitching has struggled this season.
The Penguins rank last in the conference with a 9.01 ERA and 61 wild pitched this season. They have also thrown 186 walks this year, the second-most in the Horizon League.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Brady Birchmeier (Bowling Green #43)
Birchmeier is having a breakout season for the Falcons.
The sophomore first baseman ranks fourth in the MAC with 40 runs batted in (RBI) and seventh with eight home runs.
The New Lothrop, Michigan, native has multiple hits in back-to-back games, including a walk-off single on Sunday in the 10th inning against the RedHawks.
Garrett Wright (Bowling Green #3)
The sophomore catcher has been one of the best players in the MAC this season.
Wright leads the conference with a 1.238 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) and a .525 OBP. He also ranks second with 45 hits, three triples and four sacrifice flies, third with a .417 batting average and fourth with 35 runs scored and a .713 slugging percentage.
The Massillon, Ohio, native is currently on a seven-game hitting streak.
Kyle Fossum (Youngstown State #7)
The senior outfielder has dominated in his first season at YSU after playing three years at Washington.
Fossum leads the Horizon League with a 1.449 OPS, a .440 batting average, a .535 OBP, a .914 slugging percentage, 51 hits and 14 home runs.
The Seattle, Washington, native went 2-4 with a home run at the plate in Youngstown State’s loss against BG earlier in the season.
Tommy Rover (Youngstown State #6)
The switch-hitting redshirt senior infielder has been another dangerous bat for the Penguins this season.
After playing his past three seasons at Fresno Pacific University, Rover ranks fifth in the conference with a .500 OBP, sixth with a 1.080 OPS, seventh with a .580 slugging percentage and 10th with a .319 batting average.
