Bowling Green’s relief pitcher Owen Recker celebrates after striking out the final batter to secure the win during a game against Toledo Tuesday at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.
Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune
TOLEDO — Bowling Green State University baseball picked up the win at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday, taking the Battle of I-75.
After splitting the four-game weekend series, the Falcons and University of Toledo Rockets squared off at the home of the Toledo Mud Hens for the second annual Fifth Third Field Game.
A four-run third inning fueled by a Jack Krause triple sparked the Falcons’ offense.
The game-winning run was pushed across in the bottom of the eighth on a successful squeeze bunt by Nathan Rose to score Adam Furnas and plate the fifth and final Falcon run of the night.
On the mound, Owen Recker tossed two scoreless frames to hold the Rockets in check and pick up the win, including a huge strikeout to end the game with runners on second and third to capture the 5-4 victory.
The first two innings were scoreless before a UT solo home run opened the scoring column with a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third Nathan Archer doubled off the right field wall to set up a Ryan Johnston RBI single through the left side of the infield to knot it up at 1-1.
A fielding error and walk loaded the bases for the Falcons. Krause was able to rip a triple down the right field line to clear the bases and put BGSU on top 4-1.
The Rockets answered in the top of the fourth with a two-out, two-run home run to right field, cutting the BGSU lead to 4-3.
The Rockets notched a run in the top of the seventh to tie it at 4-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, Furnas hit a ground-rule double before moving to third on a Krause sacrifice bunt. Rose then executed a perfect squeeze play, scoring Furnas to push the Falcons ahead once again, 5-4.
STAT LEADERS
Jack Krause: 1-for-3, 1 3B, 3 RBI
Nathan Rose: 0-for-3, 1 RBI
Adam Furnas: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B
Ryan Johnston: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Kyle Gurney: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 SB
Nathan Archer: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Gage Schenk: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 1 K
Owen Recker: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 1 K
FALCON STATS
Rose entered the night leading BGSU in successful sacrifices and came through with perhaps his biggest yet on the squeeze play in the bottom of the eighth to plate the winning run.
The triple for Krause was his first of the season and brought the Falcons’ season total to 14, giving BGSU sole possession of second in the MAC for the stat category.
Gurney and Johnston both tallied stolen bases on the night. BGSU now has 76 steals on the season, leading the MAC with at least eight more than every other team in the conference.
Archer has now registered a hit in four straight games with three doubles and four RBI over that stretch.
Moving to right field for just a handful of games so far this season, Justin Fugitt made two key catches for the Falcons, one diving and one leaping at the wall.
Gurney had a double in the game for the Falcons. Gurney has now logged a hit in 16 of the Falcons’ last 18 games.
Owen Recker tallied his second straight scoreless outing for the Falcons. Recker tossed a one-inning save during Saturday’s win before picking up the win in this contest. Over the three innings pitched against the Rockets, Recker gave up just one hit.
The Falcons will move to the road for the rest of the season. The first stop is in New Jersey with the No. 22 ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights this weekend. The series is set for one game Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday. Friday’s game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
