May 16, 2004

Final Stats

AKRON, Ohio-Miami University's softball team fell to Bowling Green in the championship round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday by scores of 1-0 and 4-3.

GAME ONE: Miami University's softball team suffered a 1-0 loss to Bowling Green in the first game of the MAC Softball Tournament championship round, forcing a second game to decide the title in the double-elimination tournament.

Things remained scoreless through the first two innings with each team collecting a hit. Miami was unable to score in the top of the third inning, but Bowling Green's Kari Steigerwald led off the inning with a hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. BGSU put down another sacrifice bunt, which advanced Steigerwald to third and then home on the throw to first base, and Steigerwals was safe at the plate as Becca Garcia had the ball knocked from her glove.

Both teams had scoring opportunities of the next two innings with both teams capitalizing on double plays to get out of the inning, but the sore remained 1-0 in favor of the Falcons through five innings.

Senior Jamie Carey started off the top of the sixth inning with a bunt single and junior hurler Jackie Poggendorf walked to put runners on first and second with no outs, however, Bowling Green pitcher Jody Johnson threw two straight strikeouts, before Miami grounded out to third to end the inning. Bowling Green had one runner reach on an error in the bottom of the sixth inning, but was unable to score to leave the tally at 1-0.

Miami took some good cuts in the top of the seventh inning, but the Falcons clipped the RedHawks with strong defensive plays, including a diving catch by right fielder Steigerwald to end the game.

Poggendorf threw a complete game, giving up one run off five hits and striking out one. Carey went 2-for-3 for the RedHawks at the plate, for Miami's lone hits of the contest.

GAME TWO: Bowling Green opened up Sunday's second game, scoring one run off two hits. Emmy Ramsey singled and then stole second to set up the Falcon run. Gina Rango sent Ramsey home with a single up the middle to put the Falcons up 1-0. The RedHawks were unable to get anything going in the bottom of the inning.

In the second inning, BGSU's Jenifer Kernahan singled and Steigerwald put down a bunt single to put runners on first and second. A big double by Jeanine Baca with two outs allowed Krenahan to score to push the Falcon lead to 2-0.

A walk, a stolen base and a throwing error on the stolen base, put a BGSU runner on third base with one out. The next Falcon batter struck out and a heads up play by Garcia and shortstop Bianca Paz picked the Falcon runner off a third to end the inning and prevent a BGSU run.

The RedHawks has bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning with a Jessica Zogaib walk, a Carey single and a Poggendorf walk. Paz was hit by a pitch to send Zogaib home, and Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to the rightfielder to score Carey and knot the game, 2-2.

Miami's lead, however, was short lived as Bowling Green scored off a pair of hits and a passed ball to reclaim the advantage, 3-2. Miami had a chance to score in the bottom of the fourth after Chelsie McWhorter and Allison Maxey were each walked. Zogaib put down a bunt single to load the bases, but a RedHawk pop up and a strikeout ended the inning.

Bowling Green went down in order in the top of the fifth inning. Paz singled to start the bottom of the inning for the RedHawks. Garcia hit into a fielder's choice play, and Paz was out at second. Garcia, however advanced to second on the throw to first in an attempt for a double play and a throwing error sent her to second. A line-drive single by Jacque Molinaro scored Garcia and tied the game, 3-3.

With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Abby Habicht hit a home run just inside the left-field line to hand the Falcons a 4-3 edge. Miami was unable to score in the final two innings and Bowling Green went on to take the tournament championship, 4-3.

Courtney Salmon pitched 4.0 innings for the RedHawks, but Poggendorf ended up with the loss, moving to 13-9.

Cary, Paz and Kristen Hays were each named to the all-tournament team.