Top Two MAC Baseball Teams Face Off As Falcons Host RedHawks This Weekend
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team will return home to Steller Field this weekend for a three-game series between the top two teams in the MAC baseball standings. The Falcons will serve as hosts to the Miami (OH) RedHawks, beginning Friday (April 4) with the two teams entering the weekend tied for first in the MAC, both at 10-2 in conference play. Stay up-to-date with any schedule changes through the baseball schedule at BGSUFalcons.com as well as Twitter/X (@BGSU_Baseball). As always, admission is free at Steller Field for all games.
Current Weekend Schedule
Game 1: Friday, April 4 | Doubleheader | 11 a.m.
Game 2: Friday, April 4 | Doubleheader | Approx. 30-40 Minutes After Game 1
Game 3: Saturday, April 5 | TBD
Scouting Miami (OH)
The RedHawks will enter the weekend tied with Bowling Green atop the MAC standings, both with 10-2 records in conference play. The losses for Miami have been one to Toledo and one to Eastern Michigan while they've been able to sweep Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. As for midweek games, the RedHawks are coming off a Tuesday (April 1) loss to Cincinnati, falling 6-4 at home against the Bearcats. They also came up short against Butler last week at home on March 26 with a 10-7 final.
Series History Against The RedHawks
- Bowling Green and Miami (OH) have met 185 times previously with the series leaning to the RedHawks with a record of 108-77.
- The Falcons swept the series on the road last season over the RedHawks, opening the 2024 conference season in Oxford.
- The last home sweep over Miami for BGSU came during the 2021 campaign, spanning across four midweek contests between the teams.
What To Watch For
- Bowling Green and Miami (OH) enter the week tied for the top spot in the MAC standings, both with 10-2 records in conference play.
- The Falcons enter the week with a 20-7 record on the season, resulting in a .741 winning percentage which ranks first in the MAC and is tied for 28th in the country.
- As a team, the Orange and Brown have logged 292 hits this season, ranking first in the MAC and 35th in the country.
- BGSU will open the month of April with the series, coming off a 16-4 record in March, including wins in 15 of the last 17 games.
- Registering four wins in the final week of March, the Falcons reached 20 wins before the month of April, being one of 41 teams in the nation with at least 20 wins entering April.
- This past week, Connar Penrod was named the MAC Pitcher of the Week following three saves over Central Michigan, tying him for first in the nation in saves this season.
- The game between Bowling Green and Miami (OH) will include the MAC's top two players in RBI this season, being Miami's Evan Applewick (41) and BGSU's Brady Birchmeier (38). Both sluggers are batting over .330 on the year with at least eight home runs.
- If the Falcons can capture a sweep over the RedHawks, BGSU would advance to 23-7 through 30 games, which would match the best record through 30 games in program history, joining the 1977 team who also went 23-7.
Penrod's Placing In Record Book
Connar Penrod has not only worked his way into the BGSU Baseball record book, but he's found his way to the top. This season, Penrod has logged eight saves for the Falcons, tying him for the program record for saves in a season. The mark has also tied Penrod for first in the nation, matching the totals of Clemson's Lucas Mahlstedt and Oklahoma's Dylan Crooks. Penrod's efforts have helped the Falcons tally 12 saves as a team, matching the program record for team saves in a season, set in 2010, 2009 and 1994. In addition to his season rankings, Penrod has also found his way into the career stats as well. With nine career saves, Penrod is tied for ninth in program history with the record sitting at 17 by Neil Schmitz (2001-04).
Final Innings For The Falcons
This season, the Falcons have found success in the late innings. For the year, BGSU has scored 77 of their 206 runs in the seventh inning or later while holding opponents to 62 runs during the same stretch, a 15-run differential in favor of the Falcons. In wins specifically, the Orange and Brown have scored over 40-percent of their runs in the seventh inning or later. In wins, BGSU has totaled 179 runs. Of those 179 runs, 73 have come in the seventh inning or later while holding opponents to a total of 38 runs, creating a 35-run differential in the seventh inning and beyond during the team's wins this season.
Birchmeier At The Bat
Brady Birchmeier has placed himself among the MAC's most dangerous hitters this season. So far this year, Birchmeier has recorded 38 RBI for the Falcons with the total ranking first on the team, second in the MAC and 38th in the nation. Playing in 24 of BGSU's games this season, Birchmeier is averaging 1.58 RBI per game for the Orange and Brown, which leads the MAC and ranks eighth in the nation. The national leader is Georgia's Ryland Zaborowski with an average of 1.85. As for MAC stats for total RBI, Birchmeier trails only Miami (OH)'s Evan Applewick with 41.
Sova Strikes Out Eight In Start
With the second game of last Friday's (March 28) doubleheader being delayed due to rain, the Falcons turned to Carrson Sova to get the start. The 6-foot-8 freshman rose to the occasion, tossing a season-high six shutout innings while striking out a career-high eight batters for the Falcons. Prior to the start, Sova hadn't logged an outing of three innings or more and had two scoreless appearances earlier in the season. Sova picked up the win in the game, marking his second win of the week after registering his first career victory in the midweek against Youngstown State on Tuesday (March 25), giving him a 2-1 record on the season.
Turner Turning Heads
Jacob Turner has been efficient on the mound this season for the Falcons, allowing just four walks through 28 innings pitched. For Turner, the effort has moved him into the Top 50 in the nation for multiple stats. Turner is allowing just 1.29 walks per nine innings this season, which leads the MAC among qualified pitchers and is tied for 21st in the nation. As for strikeouts, Turner is averaging a 5.75 strikeout-to-walk radio, which also leads the MAC among qualified pitchers while being 43rd in the country.
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' baseball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSU_Baseball
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsu_baseball'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube - 'Falcons Athletics'
Latest Men's Baseball News
- Schedule Changes For BGSU Baseball Hosting Miami (OH) This WeekendBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Due to anticipated weather, the schedule has changed for this weekend's baseball series between Bowling Green and Miami (OH). As of now, the Falcons and RedHawks will begin the series with a doubleheader on Friday (April 4) starting at 11 a.m. Both games of the doubleheader will be nine innings with approximately 30-40 minutes between games. The series will then conclude with the third game on Saturday (April 5) with a time to be determined later, weather depending. Any changes will be announced on BGSUFalcons.com as well as the BGSU_Baseball Twitter/X page.
- BGSU Baseball At Michigan State PostponedBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Due to anticipated weather and conditions, Wednesday's (April 2) BGSU baseball game against Michigan State has been postponed. At this time, no makeup date has been set for the contest. The Falcons and Spartans last played in 2022 with Bowling Green claiming a 12-3 victory in East Lansing.
- Connar Penrod Named MAC Pitcher Of The WeekCLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the MAC Player and Pitcher of the Week Monday afternoon (March 31). Of those named, Connar Penrod earned the Pitcher of the Week honor. This marks the first honor of Penrod's BGSU career while being the second for the Falcons after Brady Birchmeier was named MAC Co-Player of the Week on March 17.
- Falcons Complete First Sweep At Central In Program History With Extra Innings VictoryMOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. – The Bowling Green State University baseball team finished off the three-game weekend series sweep over Central Michigan on Sunday (March 30) with a 6-5 extra innings win. The sweep marks the first for BGSU on the road at CMU in program history. Connar Penrod closed down the save for Bowling Green, his third of the weekend and eighth of the season. Penrod is now tied for the program record for saves in a season while the team as a whole is also tied for the program record for saves in a season. The Falcons advance to 20-7 on the year while being 10-2 within the MAC.
- Penrod Shuts Down Central For Two Saves As Falcons Sweep DoubleheaderMOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. – The Bowling Green State University baseball team picked up a pair of wins over the Central Michigan Chippewas on Friday (March 28), claiming both games of a doubleheader. Connar Penrod came on for the save in both games, pushing him up to a tie for third in program history for single-season saves. With the wins, Bowling Green advances to 19-7 through 26 games this season while being 9-2 within MAC play. BGSU and CMU will have Saturday (March 29) off now due to weather before concluding the series on Sunday (March 30) at 11 a.m.
- Schedule Changes For BGSU Baseball At Central Michigan This WeekendBOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Due to forecasted weather, the weekend schedule between Bowling Green and Central Michigan baseball has changed. Friday (March 28) will now consist of a double-header between the Falcons and Chippewas starting at 11 a.m. The series will conclude on Saturday (March 29) with a single game. As of now, the series finale is scheduled for a 10 a.m. first pitch, but is subject to change. Stay up-to-date on all changes through the baseball schedule at BGSUFalcons.com or the @BGSU_Baseball Twitter/X page.