ATHENS, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team picked up a win in their MAC opener for the third-straight season, topping the Ohio Bobcats on Friday (March 7) in a 6-4 final. The Falcons jumped out quickly to a 2-0 lead with a two-run Garrett Wright home run in the first inning. Ohio responded with four runs across the middle innings before the Falcons answered back in the eighth. A four-run eighth frame pushed Bowling Green out in front for the eventual 6-4 final, moving the Falcons to 1-0 in MAC play and 7-5 on the season.

For Bowling Green, Connar Penrod produced two strong innings out of the bullpen, extending his streak of scoreless frames tossed to 6.2 innings to start the season while picking up his second save of the year. At the plate, Wright's first inning homer kickstarted a three-hit day for the BGSU backstop. Alex Laird and Chase Chopin both contributed multi-hit days in the offensive effort as well. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gunner Antillon logged the first hit of the game with a double through the left side in the top of the first. Garrett Wright followed in the next at-bat by launching a two-run home run to deep left center for a quick 2-0 BGSU lead. 
• In the second inning with two outs, Alex Laird laid down a bunt single. Chase Chopin then hit a double into center field, putting runners at second and third for BGSU, but the Falcons weren't able to get one across in the inning.
• In the bottom of the second, a solo home run for Ohio cut the lead in half for the Falcons, 2-1.
• Ohio scored two in the bottom of the fifth to move in front with a 3-2 score. 
• In the seventh, Chopin started the inning off with his second double of the day, but was thrown out trying for third on a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
• Ohio added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to extend their lead to 4-2. 
• Bowling Green battled back in the eighth inning. Wright started the inning with a single and took second on a groundout. With two outs, the Falcons started a rally. Gavin Ganun began the damage with a single to right, scoring Wright.
• In the next at-bat, Cooper McKenzie crushed a double to the left center wall, scoring Ganun to tie the game at 4-4. Brayden Curlis was called on to pinch run for McKenzie.
• The rally continued with Laird trading places with Curlis for another RBI. Chopin was hit by a pitch, bringing Sam Seidel to the plate. Seidel knocked a single into shallow center, scoring Laird for a 6-4 BGSU advantage.  
• Out of the bullpen, Connar Penrod recorded an out with each at-bat he pitched in the eighth and ninth innings to earn the save. 

STAT LEADERS

• Connar Penrod: SV (2), 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 1 K
• Garrett Wright: 3-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
• Alex Laird: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB
• Chase Chopin: 2-for-3, 2 2B, 1 HBP
• Gavin Ganun: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
• Gunner Antillon: 1-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R

FALCON STAT FACTS

• With the win, the Falcons have now won three-straight MAC openers, the longest streak of its kind since winning four consecutive from 2003-2006. 
• Coming on in the eighth inning with runners on, Connar Penrod worked out of the jam, recording an out with every batter he faced over the last two innings. The outing marks Penrod's second save of the season and keeps his ERA at 0.00 through 6.2 innings on the year. 
• Garrett Wright belted his first home run of the year in the first inning. A two-run shot, it quickly gave Wright multiple RBI in two straight games after having two against Dayton on Wednesday (March 5). Wright also finished with a season-high three hits in the game.
• In the second inning, Chase Chopin knocked a double into center field for the first multiple-base hit of his collegiate career. He added another double in the seventh inning.
• Brady Birchmeier singled in the ninth inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and his on-base streak to 14 games. He's logged at least one hit in every game so far this season. 
• Being the pitcher of record when the Falcons took the lead, Titus Lotz registered the win on the mound, his second of the season now with a 2-0 record. 
• Gunner Antillon scored once for Bowling Green. He's now scored in four straight games for BGSU as well as five of the last six. 
• Sam Seidel tallied an RBI in the game for BGSU, having at least one in three straight games. During the three-game span, Seidel has tallied seven RBI. 
• Alex Laird recorded two hits in the game, his first multi-hit game of his collegiate career. 

UP NEXT
Bowling Green will continue the weekend series in Athens on Saturday (March 8) with a 2 p.m. start before wrapping up the weekend on Sunday (March 9) at 1 p.m. The Falcons will then begin the home portion of their schedule on Tuesday (March 11) with a 3 p.m. first pitch against Tiffin University at Steller Field. 

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