AP NCAA Basketball
| Falcons rally, but Ball State hangs on for MAC softball win (5-11-12) |
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| Written by By Sentinel Sports Staff |
| Friday, 11 May 2012 13:11 |
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AKRON — Bowling Green’s softball team rallied late, but Ball State held on for a 3-2 win Friday in an elimination game at the Mid-American Conference tournament. Hannah Fulk’s two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning was BG’s only hit in the game and brought the Falcons within one run. However, the Cardinals held on to preserve the victory. BOX SCORE BG had a chance to tie the game in the seventh when Andrea Arney drew a leadoff walk and was bunted to second by Katie Yoho. The Falcons, however, couldn’t score as two ground outs to third ended the game. BG, seeded third in the tournament, finished 36-22. Ball State, the MAC’s regular-season champion and West Division winner, improved to 40-14. The Falcons’ 36 wins were one shy of the school record set in 1992 and 2006 after they were picked for last in the East Division in the coaches poll. BG was second in the East at 15-7 and led the division going into the final weekend of the regular season. The Falcons were 12-32, 6-15 last season, their fourth straight losing season overall and third straight losing record in the MAC. “I couldn’t be more proud of these kids,” BG coach Shannon Salsburg said. The Falcons had a chance to rally, thanks to the pitching of freshman Jamie Kertes, who allowed just five hits. Ball State scored two runs on two hits in the first and added an unearned in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. Kertes struck out four and walked one. “Jamie might have pitched the best game of her first year here,” Salsburg said. “She did a great job against an explosive offensive team.” Ball State leads the MAC in hitting with a .323 average and is scoring 6.78 runs per game. Kertes was named the MAC’s freshman of the year, and was named to the All-MAC first-team and All-MAC freshman team earlier this week in a vote of conference coaches. The right-hander was 17-13 with six saves and a 2.24 earned-run average in 47 games. “When they got somebody on, she really did came back with a great pitch to the next batter,” Salsburg said. “She kept us in that game.” Ball State’s Audrey Workman allowed just two runners over the first five innings. Shelby Fink was hit by a pitch with one out in the second and Adrienne Dick drew a one-out walk in the third. Fulk’s homer followed Erica Stratton’s leadoff walk. Chloe Giordano then ran for Stratton. Fulk’s homer was her 14th of the season, increasing her own single-season school record. The junior shortstop was a first-team All-MAC pick, hitting .332 in 58 games with 34 runs batted in, 52 runs scored and single-season BG record 42 walks “She had a great year, just everything she brings to us as our leadoff (hitter),” Salsburg said. “She’s the toughest leadoff in the MAC.” |
| Last Updated on Saturday, 12 May 2012 00:37 |
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