Falcons Ready For Findlay, Annual Fifth Third Field Game, Battle Of I-75
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team will turn their attention to a potentially milestone-filled week. The Falcons will begin the week at home against Findlay on Wednesday (April 30) with a 3 p.m. first pitch. From there, BGSU will transition to Fifth Third Field on Friday (May 2) for the annual Battle of I-75 game at the home of the Toledo Mud Hens, scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch. The series with the rival Rockets will continue on Saturday (May 3) at 3 p.m. before concluding on Sunday (May 4) at 1 p.m. The entirety of the series against Toledo will be on BCSN with a simulcast on ESPN+. Any schedule changes will be announced on BGSUFalcons.com as well as Twitter/X (@BGSU_Baseball).
Current Week Schedule
Wednesday, April 30 | vs. Findlay | 3 p.m. | Steller Field
Friday, May 2 | at Toledo | 7 p.m. | Fifth Third Field | BCSN/ESPN+
Saturday, May 3 | at Toledo | 3 p.m. | Scott Park | BCSN/ESPN+
Sunday, May 4 | at Toledo | 1 p.m. | Scott Park | BCSN/ESPN+
What To Watch For
- The Falcons have an opportunity to clinch a spot in the MAC Tournament this weekend with scenarios included below. Clinching would give BGSU back-to-back MAC Tournament appearances for the first time since 2014-15.
- As a team, Bowling Green ranks 32nd in the nation for on-base percentage (.419) while being ranked 33rd in the country for batting average (.307). BGSU is one of 20 teams inside the top 35 in the nation for both stats and one of two MAC teams, joined by Kent State.
- This season, Bowling Green has recorded 458 hits as a team, tied for 23rd in the nation and first in the MAC, knotted up with Ball State.
- Garrett Wright enters the week ranked 38th in the nation for hits per game (1.56) and 46th in the nation for runs per game (1.27).
MAC Tournament Clinching Scenarios
The Falcons are closing in on punching their ticket to this year's MAC Tournament in Avon with the top six teams making the field. Bowling Green can clinch a spot on their own by winning two of three games against Toledo this weekend. Additionally, BGSU can clinch a spot with one win and help. A BGSU win paired with losses from Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Western Michigan would clinch a spot for the Falcons as well, giving a path achievable at Fifth Third Field on Friday (May 2).
Scouting Findlay
Findlay enters Wednesday's (April 30) contest with a record of 23-21 on the season while being 15-11 within the G-MAC. BGSU and UF have a common opponent in Tiffin. Findlay took three of four games from the Dragons, outscoring Tiffin 42-33 over the four-game stretch. BGSU topped Tiffin, 8-7, back on March 11. The Oilers are also coming off a series win over Lake Erie, taking three of four, but their loss came in the final game of the series on Sunday (April 27) in a 6-4 final. In total, Findlay has won eight of their last 11 games.
Series History Against The Oilers
- Bowling Green and Findlay will be meeting for the 84th time in program history with the Falcons holding the all-time advantage at 67-16.
- The series between BGSU and UF dates back to 1919, the second varsity season for Bowling Green. The game marked the fourth ever in program history for BGSU with Findlay winning 26-10.
- The meeting will mark the first between the Falcons and Oilers since the 2016 season, a game BGSU claimed with a 5-4 final score.
- Going back to 1948, the Falcons have won 37 of the last 39 meetings, including a current 15-game streak. Findlay's wins during the stretch came in 1978 (8-7) and 1961 (6-3).
Scouting Toledo
Toledo is coming off their non-conference weekend, hosting East Tennessee State last week while falling in two of the three games. The series loss moved UT to 18-25 on the season while being 10-11 within the MAC. Before the series against the Falcons, Toledo will host Mercyhurst on Tuesday (April 29) before traveling to Oakland on Wednesday (April 30). As for MAC play, the last conference series for the Rockets was a three-game series sweep over Western Michigan at home April 17-19.
Series History Against The Rockets
- Bowling Green and Toledo have met 239 times previously with BGSU holding the advantage with a record of 139-100.
- BGSU and UT first began the annual game at Fifth Third Field in 2021, but also played two games there in 2002 with BGSU winning both. Overall, the Falcons have a record of 5-2 when playing against Toledo at Fifth Third Field, including a doubleheader split in 2023.
- Last year, the Falcons swept the four-game series over the rival Rockets and have won six of the last seven meetings between the two.
- The last time Toledo hosted the series was in 2023 with the two teams splitting the four games.
Falcons On Cusp Of 30-Win Season
Bowling Green enters the week with 28 wins on the season, needing two more to achieve a 30-win season for just the 16th time in program history. Last year, the Falcons captured 33 wins, the team's first 30-win season since 2010. If BGSU can reach 30 wins this year, it would mark the first back-to-back 30-win seasons for the Falcons since 2001-02, winning 36 in 2001 and 32 in 2002. Other times BGSU had consecutive 30-win seasons in program history include a stretch of four straight 30-win seasons from 1976-79 and back-to-back in 1998-99. The most wins over a two-year stretch in program history came in the 1998-99 span, winning 70.
Wright One Of Five In The Nation
Garrett Wright is one of five players in the nation to rank inside the country's top 10 for both batting average and on-base percentage. This season, Wright is batting .437, seventh in the nation, with an on-base percentage of .537, 10th. Wright is joined by Southern's Cardell Thibodeaux (.455/.564), High Point's Konni Durschlag (.444/.551), George Mason's James Quinn-Irons (.443/.542) and Wake Forest's Kade Lewis (.440/.542). Lewis, Thibodeaux and Wright are the only sophomores of the group while Wright is the lone catcher. He's also the only catcher in the top 50 for batting average and the only catcher in the top 33 for on-base percentage.
The Freshmen Three Stooges Of BGSU
Brayden Curlis (Curly), Carter Mottice (Mo) and Alex Laird (Larry) have put together breakout campaigns over the last few weeks for the Falcons. The three freshmen, all earning nicknames resembling The Three Stooges, have settled into the bottom of BGSU's order, hitting seven-eight-nine. Laird is the midst of a six-game hitting streak, Mottice has reached in 10 of his 12 games played and Curlis has been the winning run in BGSU's last two walk-offs. Over the last two weeks, the trio has combined to bat .329 with 20 runs scored, 17 RBI, 16 walks drawn, eight HBPs, four doubles and a home run to go along with six sacrifice flies or bunts.
Antillon Follows Up On Hot Week
During the week of April 14, Gunner Antillon put together an impressive week, batting .700 with only one strikeout. He belted his first two home runs of the season and added five doubles. His efforts earned him MAC Player of the Week, the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week (nation's best shortstop) and the Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week as a Co-Hitter. For Antillon, he rolled that success into the following week as well. Antillon is now on a team-high eight-game hitting streak while scoring in seven of the last eight games. Over the eight-game stretch he has 19 hits, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored for BGSU.
Penrod's Record Book Pursuit
Connar Penrod has 10 saves this year, becoming the first Falcon in program history with double-digit saves in a season. The total has Penrod leading the MAC and tied for fifth in the nation. For his career, Penrod now has 11 saves, which is tied for fifth in program history with Mike Muzi (1997-2000) and Eric Stachler (1994-95). The next step would be tying Jeremy Spezia (2018-22) with 12. The program record for career saves is set at 17 by Neil Schmitz (2001-04). As for the MAC record book for single-season saves, Penrod would need 13 saves this season to enter the Top 10.
Wrights Leans Into Record Book
Garrett Wright has essentially written his own section in the BGSU record book. Just a sophomore, Wright holds BGSU's program record for career hit-by-pitches as well as the top two spots on the single-season list as well. Wright set the single-season record, again, on April 26 now with 23 this year. Over his two seasons, Wright has been plunked 44 times, one of five players in the nation with 44 or more, joined by Clemson's Dominic Listi (45), Troy's Steven Meier (45), and Boston College's Kyle Wolff (44). Portland's JT Landwehr (43), UC Irvine's Chase Call (42) and Utah Valley's Luke Iverson (42) trail closely. Landwehr broke the NCAA single-season record last year with 39 at Mount St. Mary's. Wright's 23 HBPs this year are tied for fourth in the nation.
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Latest Men's Baseball News
- Schedule Update: Home Baseball Against Findlay Moved To WednesdayBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Due to anticipated weather, the schedule has changed for the baseball game between Bowling Green and Findlay. Originally scheduled for Tuesday (April 29), the game has now been moved to Wednesday (April 30) with a 3 p.m. first pitch at Steller Field. Any additional changes will be announced on BGSUFalcons.com as well as the BGSU_Baseball Twitter/X page.
- BGSU Completes Weekend Sweep Over Eastern Michigan With 8-4 WinBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team completed the weekend sweep over Eastern Michigan, registering an 8-4 victory on Sunday (April 27) at Steller Field. A four-run first inning catapulted the Falcons in front, stretching their lead to as large as 7-1 before securing the 8-4 final. Landon Willeman started the game for BGSU, giving up just one run in 4.2 innings of work before handing the ball over to Ty Roder who finished out the game from there. As a team, the Falcons saw every player in the lineup log a hit, totaling 14 as a team, all singles. Bowling Green now moves to 28-14 on the year while being 16-8 within the MAC.
- Falcons Win In Game Two Walk-Off To Sweep Doubleheader Over EMUBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team claimed a pair of wins on Saturday (April 26) sweeping a doubleheader over Eastern Michigan. The day started by resuming Friday's (April 25) game in the fourth inning, leading to an 11-4 BGSU victory. The Falcons followed it up in game two with a two-out ninth inning rally to walk-it-off over EMU in a 10-9 final, setting up the potential for a sweep on Sunday (April 27). The Falcons are now 27-14 on the season while being 15-8 within the MAC.
- BGSU-EMU Friday Baseball Moved Up To 1 p.m. First PitchBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Due to ever changing weather conditions forecasted for Friday evening, Friday's (April 25) BGSU baseball game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles has been moved up to a 1 p.m. start at Steller Field. As of now, Saturday and Sunday's (April 26-27) games are still set for 1 p.m. starts. Any changes will be announced on BGSUFalcons.com as well as the BGSU_Baseball Twitter/X page.
- Garrett Wright Named MAC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week For Second Time This SeasonCLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the MAC Scholar-Athletes of the Week Wednesday afternoon (April 23). Of those named, Bowling Green's Garrett Wright was named the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week. A Criminal Justice major, Wright has maintained a 4.00 GPA. This is Wright's second Scholar-Athlete award as a member of the Falcons after being named two weeks ago on April 9. As for BGSU, this is the fourth time a Falcon has been named with women's basketball's Amy Velasco collecting the other two recognitions. A student-athlete can win the award a max of two times per season.
- Penrod Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Award Midseason Watch ListDALLAS, Texas – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced the Midseason Watch List for the 20th annual Stopper of the Year award Wednesday afternoon (April 23). Of the 56 relief pitchers named to the list, Bowling Green's Connar Penrod was one of the players listed. For this award, players must be named to the midseason watch list to be eligible to become a finalist. The NCBWA will announce finalists on Wednesday, June 4 with the winner being named on Friday, June 13 at the 2025 College World Series.