Friday, March 15
Normal, IL (The Corn Crib)
3:00 pm CST
Bowling Green State University
at
Illinois State University
Falcons And Redbirds Set To Battle This Weekend
March 13, 2013 | Baseball
vs.
Illinois State University Redbirds (6-8)
The Corn Crib
Normal, Ill.
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Game Notes
Illinois State University Redbirds (6-8)
The Corn Crib
Normal, Ill.
Mar. 15 (3 p.m. CT) Live Stats | Live Video (Subscription required)
Mar. 16 (12 p.m. CT/3 p.m. CT) Live Stats | Live Video (Subscription required)
Mar. 17 (1 p.m. CT) Live Stats | Live Video (Subscription required)
Game Notes
The Bowling Green State University baseball team will travel to Illinois State University this weekend for a four-game series with the Redbirds. The series will be played at The Corn Crib, home of the Normal CornBelters (Frontier League). This weekend will be the final tune-up for the Orange and Brown, before they begin MAC play next weekend at home vs. Western Michigan.
Leading Off
-The Falcons will continue their season-long 16-game road trip this weekend, squaring off with the Illinois State Redbirds for a four-game series.
-Bowling Green State University currently holds a record of 3-9. In the midst of its 94th season of varsity baseball, BGSU has an all-time record of 1542-1323-27.
-BGSU is coming off their annual spring break trip, playing six games in Tennessee and Florida during the week. The Falcons went 1-5 on the trip, committing 22 errors in the six games. Those 22 errors led to the opponents scoring 29 unearned runs on the trip.
-A season after playing all 53 scheduled games, Bowling Green has already had three games canceled due to snow/rain this season, including Wednesday's originally-scheduled home opener vs. Malone.
-The Falcons are coached by Danny Schmitz, who is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Orange and Brown. Schmitz is assisted by Rick Blanc (6th season), Spencer Schmitz (6th season), and Mike Huling (1st season). Huling spent 2007 as a redshirt at Illinois State, before transferring.
Scouting The Redbirds
Illinois State enters the weekend series with a record of 6-8, coming off a midweek series split at Miami (Fla.) in Coral Gables. Mark Kingston leads the Redbirds, currently in his fourth season as the head coach in Normal.
The Redbirds have consistency in their lineup, as the top five hitters have started all 14 games thus far. Eric Aguilera bats .393 with 14 RBI to lead ISU. It will be important for the Falcons to keep Chad Hinshaw off the bases this weekend, as he leads the Redbirds with 16 runs scored and is a perfect 7-7 in stolen base attempts. As a team, Illinois State has an average of .270.
On the mound, ISU boasts an ERA of 4.50. Will Headean will get the start on Friday, putting his 0-3 record on the line. The lefty, Headean has an ERA of 4.32. While Saturday's starters are still up in the air, RHP Brad Sorkin will start on Sunday. He has an ERA of 4.30 and a record of 3-1. Chris Razo serves as the closer, saving four of six wins in 2013.
The Series
The Falcons and Redbirds have met just one time prior to this weekend's series, with Illinois State downing BGSU 18-10 in 2011. That game was played at the RussMatt Invitational in Winter Haven, Fla. on March 6, 2011.
On The Road
The Falcons will travel 4,905 miles (according to Google Maps) over the first month-plus of the season to begin the 2013 campaign. Following this weekend's four-game series, Bowling Green will finally return home for their home-opener next week.
Strong Starting Pitching
The Falcons have gotten good efforts from their starting pitching all season long, although the results have not shown up in the win column. Mike Frank enters the weekend with an ERA of just 2.45, while Cody Apthorpe holds an ERA of 3.05. The starting pitching has allowed 48 runs on the season, with 25 of them being unearned.
Searching For An Answer
The Bowling Green defense has struggled at times in the early going of 2013, committing 37 errors through 12 games (.920 fielding percentage). During the six-game spring break trip that was just completed, the Falcons committed 22 errors, leading to 29 unearned runs.
Falcons Tabbed Third By MAC Coaches
The Bowling Green State University baseball team was picked to finish third in the East Division by the head coaches of the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons were selected behind Kent State and Miami. A season ago, Kent State advanced to the College World Series, after finishing 24-3 in MAC play. Two of their losses came at the hands of the Falcons.
Florida-Georgia Line
Since winning their first two games of the season, the Falcons have struggled to put together the three phases (pitching, hitting, and defense) to get back to their winning ways. They will look to leave their losing ways in Florida, as they prepare for Mid-American Conference play to start next weekend. This weekend's series with Illinois State will be the final tune-up non-conference series for the Orange and Brown in 2013.
Good Starts
One of the keys for the Falcons has been jumping out to early leads this season. When the Falcons fall behind early, they tend to struggle, as they are just 1-7 when the opponenet scores first this year. BGSU has been outscored 19-4 in the first inning so far this season.
Bruns Anchors The Bullpen
Since the beginning of 2012, senior Nick Bruns has been an anchor in the back-end of the bullpen for the Orange and Brown. Appearing in 32 of the last 65 games for head coach Danny Schmitz, Bruns has won five games and saved seven in that time.
Bounce Back, Big E
Ethan McKenney has been strong out of the bullpen this season, after struggling as a starter for much of 2012. So far in 2013, McKenney has appeared in a team-high six games, allowing just three earned runs in 11.0 innings pitched. He has an ERA of 2.45 with eight strikeouts.
Home Opener
Dayton at Bowling Green (Tuesday - March 19 - 3 PM)
Countdown To 600
In his 23rd season as the head coach at Bowling Green State University, Danny Schmitz has a career record of 590-554-5. Schmitz, who is the second winningest active coach in the Mid-American Conference (behind Ball State's Rich Maloney), has won a school-record 36 games on two different occasions. His teams have qualified for the MAC tournament 11 times. He has been named MAC Coach of the Year on three different occasions (1994, 1995, 2009). Below are Schmitz's career milestone victories:
-1st win: March 9, 1991 at Eastern Kentucky (6-3)
-100th win: April 26, 1995 at Ball State (3-1)
-200th win: March 6, 1999 vs. Pittsburgh (9-8 in Homestead, Fla.)
-250th win: April 15, 2000 vs. Marshall (8-4)
-300th win: February 17, 2002 at Tennessee (15-11)
-400th win: April 29, 2005 vs. IPFW (5-0)
-500th win: March 31, 2009 at Michigan (8-3)
Leading Off
-The Falcons will continue their season-long 16-game road trip this weekend, squaring off with the Illinois State Redbirds for a four-game series.
-Bowling Green State University currently holds a record of 3-9. In the midst of its 94th season of varsity baseball, BGSU has an all-time record of 1542-1323-27.
-BGSU is coming off their annual spring break trip, playing six games in Tennessee and Florida during the week. The Falcons went 1-5 on the trip, committing 22 errors in the six games. Those 22 errors led to the opponents scoring 29 unearned runs on the trip.
-A season after playing all 53 scheduled games, Bowling Green has already had three games canceled due to snow/rain this season, including Wednesday's originally-scheduled home opener vs. Malone.
-The Falcons are coached by Danny Schmitz, who is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Orange and Brown. Schmitz is assisted by Rick Blanc (6th season), Spencer Schmitz (6th season), and Mike Huling (1st season). Huling spent 2007 as a redshirt at Illinois State, before transferring.
Scouting The Redbirds
Illinois State enters the weekend series with a record of 6-8, coming off a midweek series split at Miami (Fla.) in Coral Gables. Mark Kingston leads the Redbirds, currently in his fourth season as the head coach in Normal.
The Redbirds have consistency in their lineup, as the top five hitters have started all 14 games thus far. Eric Aguilera bats .393 with 14 RBI to lead ISU. It will be important for the Falcons to keep Chad Hinshaw off the bases this weekend, as he leads the Redbirds with 16 runs scored and is a perfect 7-7 in stolen base attempts. As a team, Illinois State has an average of .270.
On the mound, ISU boasts an ERA of 4.50. Will Headean will get the start on Friday, putting his 0-3 record on the line. The lefty, Headean has an ERA of 4.32. While Saturday's starters are still up in the air, RHP Brad Sorkin will start on Sunday. He has an ERA of 4.30 and a record of 3-1. Chris Razo serves as the closer, saving four of six wins in 2013.
The Series
The Falcons and Redbirds have met just one time prior to this weekend's series, with Illinois State downing BGSU 18-10 in 2011. That game was played at the RussMatt Invitational in Winter Haven, Fla. on March 6, 2011.
On The Road
The Falcons will travel 4,905 miles (according to Google Maps) over the first month-plus of the season to begin the 2013 campaign. Following this weekend's four-game series, Bowling Green will finally return home for their home-opener next week.
Strong Starting Pitching
The Falcons have gotten good efforts from their starting pitching all season long, although the results have not shown up in the win column. Mike Frank enters the weekend with an ERA of just 2.45, while Cody Apthorpe holds an ERA of 3.05. The starting pitching has allowed 48 runs on the season, with 25 of them being unearned.
Searching For An Answer
The Bowling Green defense has struggled at times in the early going of 2013, committing 37 errors through 12 games (.920 fielding percentage). During the six-game spring break trip that was just completed, the Falcons committed 22 errors, leading to 29 unearned runs.
Falcons Tabbed Third By MAC Coaches
The Bowling Green State University baseball team was picked to finish third in the East Division by the head coaches of the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons were selected behind Kent State and Miami. A season ago, Kent State advanced to the College World Series, after finishing 24-3 in MAC play. Two of their losses came at the hands of the Falcons.
Florida-Georgia Line
Since winning their first two games of the season, the Falcons have struggled to put together the three phases (pitching, hitting, and defense) to get back to their winning ways. They will look to leave their losing ways in Florida, as they prepare for Mid-American Conference play to start next weekend. This weekend's series with Illinois State will be the final tune-up non-conference series for the Orange and Brown in 2013.
Good Starts
One of the keys for the Falcons has been jumping out to early leads this season. When the Falcons fall behind early, they tend to struggle, as they are just 1-7 when the opponenet scores first this year. BGSU has been outscored 19-4 in the first inning so far this season.
Bruns Anchors The Bullpen
Since the beginning of 2012, senior Nick Bruns has been an anchor in the back-end of the bullpen for the Orange and Brown. Appearing in 32 of the last 65 games for head coach Danny Schmitz, Bruns has won five games and saved seven in that time.
Bounce Back, Big E
Ethan McKenney has been strong out of the bullpen this season, after struggling as a starter for much of 2012. So far in 2013, McKenney has appeared in a team-high six games, allowing just three earned runs in 11.0 innings pitched. He has an ERA of 2.45 with eight strikeouts.
Home Opener
Dayton at Bowling Green (Tuesday - March 19 - 3 PM)
Countdown To 600
In his 23rd season as the head coach at Bowling Green State University, Danny Schmitz has a career record of 590-554-5. Schmitz, who is the second winningest active coach in the Mid-American Conference (behind Ball State's Rich Maloney), has won a school-record 36 games on two different occasions. His teams have qualified for the MAC tournament 11 times. He has been named MAC Coach of the Year on three different occasions (1994, 1995, 2009). Below are Schmitz's career milestone victories:
-1st win: March 9, 1991 at Eastern Kentucky (6-3)
-100th win: April 26, 1995 at Ball State (3-1)
-200th win: March 6, 1999 vs. Pittsburgh (9-8 in Homestead, Fla.)
-250th win: April 15, 2000 vs. Marshall (8-4)
-300th win: February 17, 2002 at Tennessee (15-11)
-400th win: April 29, 2005 vs. IPFW (5-0)
-500th win: March 31, 2009 at Michigan (8-3)
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