BGSU softball (15-19, 3-10 MAC) lost via mercy rule to the University of Toledo Rockets (11-24, 7-6 MAC) on Tuesday, falling 11-3 in the first game of the homestand at Meserve Field in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Falcons were unable to score any more runs in the bottom of the fifth, and with Toledo up by eight runs, the game was called early due to mercy rule.
“We haven’t been run-ruled that many times this season. It’s disappointing for me, but the bottom line is we got to come back out tomorrow and compete,” said head coach Michelle Gardner. “We can sit and dwell on today, but you can’t do anything about today. So come out tomorrow and be better. “
The Falcons struggled to generate offense, with head coach Gardner saying, “Not getting timely hits, that has been our MO a lot this season … It’s like the hits are coming, they’re just not where we need them, when we need them sometimes.”
The first runs of the day came in the top of the second inning for Toledo. The first run came from a single up the middle, scoring a runner from third. It was then quickly followed up by a deep double to the center field wall by Eli Enriquez of Toledo, clearing the loaded bases and bringing the score to 4- 0 Toledo early.
Toledo added three runs in the top of the third to make it a 7-0 ballgame, before Izzy Ray stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the third for the Falcons. She clobbered a ball to center field for a sacrifice fly to score the runner tagging from third to give BGSU their first run of the day.
The Rockets picked up runs in the fourth and fifth innings, adding one run in the fourth, before scoring another three runs in the fifth, bringing the score to 11-1.
This set up the Falcons for a final inning at-bat where they needed to score at least three runs for the ballgame to continue.
The Falcons came close to extending the game but fell just short, scoring one run after Ray grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Hannah Simko from third. They added another run shortly after Taylor Behrendt singled to center field, scoring Peyton Steffes and making it an 11-3 ballgame.
“That was kind of my message at the end of this was, our seasons not done. We have a lot of games left, and we just have to choose how we’re going to come out here and respond. The bottom line is, we’re doing some good things, we just aren’t doing enough good things at once,” said Gardner.
Next, the Falcons will continue the three-game homestand on Wednesday in a doubleheader against the Toledo Rockets at Meserve Field in Bowling Green, Ohio. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. with the second game starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
