BGSU baseball is set to play their final non-conference and away game of the regular season on Tuesday, battling Toledo at Scott Park at 3 p.m.
The Falcons are two wins away from matching last season’s total (33) and five wins away from matching the single-season program record for victories (36), which was achieved in 1977, 1999 and 2001. BGSU is also just three wins away from reaching 1,800 all-time victories since the program’s first varsity season in 1918.
“I think we just continue to try and focus on what we do well, winning each pitch and winning an inning, and then, ultimately, that will lead to winning a game,” Bowling Green head coach Kyle Hallock said. ”
Matchup History
Tuesday marks the 243rd meeting between the rivals, with Bowling Green leading the all-time series 140-102.
Toledo won two of three games against BG this season. After the Falcons won 8-3 at Fifth Third Field on May 2, the Rockets won both games of a doubleheader, 8-3 and 8-1, at Scott Park on May 3.
Scouting Bowling Green
The Falcons sit in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings with a 31-19 overall and 17-10 conference record.
BGSU is coming off a sweep at the hands of Notre Dame, losing 10-0, 11-1 and 4-0 to the Fighting Irish. The Falcons were out-hit 29-14 by ND throughout the three games.
“The difference in the two teams was probably five innings and a total of 30 to 35 minutes worth of baseball, and that’s all it takes when you’re playing a program like Notre Dame,” Hallock said. “We hope to be on the right side of those things in the next four games and the ones after that.”
Bowling Green’s offense has been solid this season.
The Falcons rank second in the MAC with 252 walks drawn, third with a .403 on-base percentage (OBP) and 67 stolen bases, fourth with a .292 batting average and fifth with 352 runs scored.
However, power has not been a strength for the Orange and Brown.
Pitching has also been solid for BG this year.
BGSU ranks fourth in the MAC with a 6.28 earned run average (ERA) and sixth with 387 strikeouts. Bowling Green is just 16 strikeouts away from matching the single-season program record (403), which was set last season.
However, the Falcons have allowed 63 home runs and thrown 54 wild pitches, the most in the conference. BG is just seven wild pitches away from matching the single-season program record (61), which was set 40 years ago in 1985.
Bowling Green is still dealing with injuries to key players. Junior two-way player DJ Newman (leg), junior infielder Sam Seidel (arm), sophomore first baseman Brady Birchmeier (undisclosed), sophomore center fielder TJ Takats (leg) and senior left-hander Nic Good (undisclosed) are all currently out with injuries.
“Gunner Antillon’s back and we’re hoping to get (Brady) Birchmeier and (Sam) Seidel in some baseball pants over the next week or so,” Hallock said.
Scouting Toledo
Toledo comes into the game in fifth place in the MAC standings with a 25-27 overall and 14-13 conference record.
The Rockets are coming off back-to-back wins against Northern Illinois and have won five of their past six contests. Additionally, UT has won four straight MAC series against Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Northern Illinois.
Toledo has the worst offense in the MAC.
They rank last in the conference with a .242 batting average, a .345 OBP, a .363 slugging percentage, 246 runs scored, 393 hits and 74 doubles.
But the Rockets have arguably the best pitching staff in the MAC, leading the conference with a 5.09 ERA and a .262 opponent batting average.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Garrett Wright (Bowling Green #3)
Wright has been one of the best catchers in the nation this season. The sophomore leads the MAC with a .407 batting average and a .515 OBP.
However, the Massillon, Ohio, native is coming off one of his worst series of the season, going just 2-11 with two strikeouts against Notre Dame.
Zack Horky (Bowling Green #34)
The junior catcher/outfielder has been one of the biggest breakout players for BGSU this season, with his .327 batting average ranking third on the Falcons.
Horky is currently riding a 13-game hitting streak, the longest by a BG player this season and just two games away from reaching the all-time program leaderboard.
Across the streak, the Blissfield, Michigan, native is batting .375 with 15 runs batted in (RBI), eight runs scored and four doubles. He also leads the Falcons with a 20-game on-base streak.
The sophomore infielder has been arguably the best hitter for the Rockets this season.
Scholvin leads Toledo with a .320 batting average, a .486 OBP and a .955 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).
The Lewis Center, Ohio, native batted 4-10 with three RBIs in the series against Bowling Green this season. He has recorded a hit in nine of the past 10 games.
Konczak also has a claim as the best hitter for Toledo this season.
The senior outfielder leads the Rockets with a .479 slugging percentage, 55 hits, 35 runs scored and nine home runs. He also ranks second on the team with a .289 batting average, a .408 OBP, a .887 OPS and 29 walks drawn.
The Lewis Center, Ohio, native batted 5-12 in the series against Bowling Green, including a four-hit game.
