BGSU baseball (3-9, 1-1) got its first Mid-American Conference (MAC) win against Kent State (10-4, 1-1) by a score of 7-2 in the second game of the weekend at Olga Mural Field in Kent, Ohio. The Falcons were propelled by a giant third inning where they scored four runs and then carried that offense throughout the game.
Nate Kress took the mound to start today for the Falcons, pitching 5.0 innings while striking out five batters and allowing six hits for two earned runs. Ethan Stade came out in relief in the sixth inning and had a great outing for the Falcons. Stade recorded 4.0 innings pitched, only allowing one hit while striking out 11 batters.
The start of the game did not go the way the Falcons planned, as they didn’t get any offense in the top of the first inning. The leadoff man for the Golden Flashes, Kolten Schaller, would hit a double. Schaller would then be brought home by Hunter Klotz on a single to left field. This would give Kent State an early 1-0 lead.
The Falcons couldn’t find much offense until the top of the third inning, where they scored four runs, smashing the game wide open.
The inning started with Griffin Scheiderer singling off a ball hit to the pitcher; he would then advance to second soon after a wild pitch. This led to Zack Horky hitting a line drive single to center field, which scored Scheiderer, tying the game at one run apiece. Horky was able to get a stolen base of his own before Sam Seidel reached first on a fielder’s choice that scored Horky. Giving the Falcons their first lead of the day, 2-1.
Vinny Salvione then stepped up to the plate and hit a long triple, which drove in Seidel, making it 3-1 Falcons. Anthony Mitta then followed that up by hitting a pop fly to left field that was far enough for Salvione to tag up and score on. This would bring the score to 4-1 and would give the Falcons a lead that they would hold for the rest of the game.
In the bottom of the third, Kent State would add another run of their own after Schaller hit a RBI single to left center field, bringing in Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe to make the score 4-2. This would be the last run the Golden Flashes would score on the day, and the Falcons would continue to add onto their lead.
The Falcons would add more offense at the top of the sixth, where they immediately got two base runners after quick singles from Mitta and Brady Birchmeier. TJ Takats would then step up to bat and hit a ball to left field for a single, bringing home Mitta. Later in the inning, Horky would hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Takats. The Falcons would end this inning holding a 6-2 lead.
The last run of the day for the Falcons would come in the top of the eighth inning. Takats would get on base after a single to right field, and he would then advance to second after Andrew Dilodovico hit a groundout to the pitcher.
Takats would then advance to third off a passed ball and then would get another run for the Falcons by stealing home after another passed ball. This would make it 7-2 for the Falcons, and that score would hold for the remainder of the game.
What’s Next?
The Falcons will be heading southwest to Dayton, Ohio, to face the Dayton Flyers in a non-conference game on Tuesday, March 10, at 3:00 p.m. at Woerner Field.
