DeKALB, Ill. – Bowling Green State University baseball split a doubleheader with the Northern Illinois Huskies on Thursday.
Ryan Johnston led the BGSU charge with a home run in each contest. In the first game, the Falcons logged eight unanswered runs to overcome a 4-0 deficit and capture an 8-4 victory. Jeremy Spezia steadied the ship on the mound, tossing four scoreless relief innings to hold the Huskies in check.
In the second game, the tides turned in favor of NIU. BGSU chipped away at the NIU lead, cutting it down to two in the top of the seventh, but a strong bottom half secured the game for Northern Illinois and a doubleheader split.
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1
Northern Illinois tallied the first runs of the game in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles to begin the inning set up an RBI single and sacrifice fly to put the Huskies ahead 2-0.
A double with a runner on in the second inning added a run before a single added another to make it 4-0 Huskies.
In the top of the third, Mason Montgomery walked and Justin Fugitt reached on a single before Nathan Archer ripped a double down the right field line, plating Montgomery and putting the Falcons on the board, 4-1.
Johnston then stepped into the batter’s box with two on and delivered a three-run home run to tie it up at 4-4.
In the top of the fifth, Johnston drew a walk before stealing second. With a runner in scoring position and two out, Adam Furnas came through with a single to push the Falcons in front, 5-4.
BGSU extended the lead in the top of the sixth. Montgomery singled with two out before stealing second to move into scoring position. Fugitt was able to log a single to the right center gap, scoring Montgomery to make it a 6-4 Bowling Green lead.
The Falcons added a pair of runs in the seventh. A Johnston single, Furnas walk and Nathan Rose single loaded the bases. Jack Krause drew a four-pitch walk to score the first run before Tyler Haas knocked a sacrifice fly to tally the second, making it 8-4 Falcons.
STAT LEADERS, GAME 1
Ryan Johnston: 3-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 SB
Justin Fugitt: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
Nathan Archer: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Adam Furnas: 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Jeremy Spezia: W, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2
In the bottom of the first of game two, Northern Illinois registered the first run with a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead.
The Falcons answered in the top of the third. Nathan Archer drew a walk before Johnston sent his second home run of the day over the fence to put the Falcons out in front 2-1.
The Huskies responded in the bottom half with a trio of hits to start the inning to tie it up before a bases loaded single put NIU in the lead, 4-2, and prompted a BGSU pitching change.
NIU would add three more runs before the end of the inning to take a 7-2 lead into the fourth.
A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth added a tally to the NIU total, 8-2.
Nathan Rose singled and advanced to second on a throwing error with two outs in the top of the sixth. Tyler Ross proceeded to trade places with Rose on an RBI double before Mason Montgomery tripled to the right field corner, scoring Ross, to cut the NIU lead down to 8-4 and force a change on the mound.
Bowling Green continued to chip away in the seventh. Johnston singled before Kyle Gurney drew a walk to put two on for Adam Furnas. Furnas ripped a double down the right field line to score both Johnston and Gurney to bring the score to 8-6 NIU.
Northern Illinois added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh, pushing the score to 14-6.
STAT LEADERS, GAME 2
Ryan Johnston: 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Mason Montgomery: 1-for-2, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Adam Furnas: 1-for-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Tyler Ross: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Nathan Rose: 2-for-4, 1 R
FALCON STAT FACTS
Jeremy Spezia logged his seventh shutout performance of the season on the bump. Tossing four innings for the Falcons, Spezia logged his longest shutout outing of the season.
Ending a triple shy of the cycle in game one, Ryan Johnston reached base each time he came to the plate. Johnston scored three times and stole two bases in addition to his double and home run that resulted in three RBI.
Entering the day with just one home run this season, and two for his entire collegiate career, Johnston hit a round-trip knock in both games to double his career home run total.
Montgomery registered his first career triple as a Falcon. As a team, BGSU now has 15 triples this season.
Scoring a run in both games, freshman Archer has now scored in four of the last five games for the Falcons.
The Falcons and Huskies conclude the weekend series, and the regular season, with a doubleheader today.
