BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University baseball team took on the Ball State Cardinals on Friday (April 18) in a slugfest. The two teams combined for 41 runs and 44 hits over the course of the nine innings with Ball State pulling out a 23-18 final score. The sixth inning was the only frame without a run scored in the offensive battle. The two teams will return to Steller Field on Saturday (April 19) for a newly adjusted 2 p.m. start for the rubber match. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ball State scored a pair in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead to start the game.
• TJ Takats doubled to left field on the first pitch in the bottom half. Garrett Wright reached on an error with both runners advancing on the error. A walk to Brady Birchmeier loaded the bases, setting up a grand slam off the bat of Gavin Ganun for a 4-2 lead.
• Zack Horky legged out an infield single and stole second before a Gunner Antillon single to left center brought him home for a 5-2 advantage before the first out of the bottom of the first.
• After the first out was recorded in the inning, Carter Mottice ripped a double to the left field wall. Antillon was able to round third and used an expertly placed slide to avoid the tag for a 6-2 BGSU lead.
• The Cardinals added three runs in the top of the second for a 6-5 score.
• Wright and Birchmeier started the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles. Horky put a ball in play, advancing to second on an error with Wright scoring.
• Antillon followed with a double to right center, allowing both Horky and Birchmeier to score, prompting a Ball State pitching change.
• Brayden Curlis welcomed the new arm with a home run to left field, a two-run shot to push the score to 11-5 through two innings.
• Ball State scored three in third to make it an 11-8 tally.
• In the bottom of the third, Birchmeier was hit by the pitch with Ganun drawing a walk to put two on. A single off the bat of Horky loaded the bases, setting up a two-RBI single to right by Antillon for a 13-8 score after three. 
• In the top of the fourth, the Cardinals cut the score down to 13-11. 
• Back-to-back singles by Takats and Wright for the Falcons put runners at the corners. A double to left center from Birchmeier, scoring both runners. A single from Horky later in the inning brought home Birchmeier for a 16-11 advantage. 
• The back-and-forth continued in the fifth with two runs for the Cardinals, bringing the score down to 16-13.
• Curlis drew a walk to start the fifth inning, prompting a Cardinal change on the bump. On the second pitch from the new arm, Carter Mottice singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch brought home Curlis to push the lead to 17-13.
• After a scoreless sixth innings, a two-run home run for Ball State cut the lead down to 17-15.
• In the bottom of the seventh, Alex Laird walked and took second on a wild pitch. A grounder pushed Laird to third before a Wright double to left brought him home for an 18-15 lead.
• A two-run home run for the Cardinals in the eighth cut the lead down to 18-17.
• In the ninth, Ball State tallied six runs for a 23-18 final score. 

STAT LEADERS

• Gunner Antillon: 4-for-6, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R
• Garrett Wright: 4-for-6, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 R
• Zack Horky: 4-for-6, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB
• Gavin Ganun: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
• Brayden Curlis: 1-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB
• Carter Mottice: 3-for-6, 1 2B, 1 RBI
• Brady Birchmeier: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB
• TJ Takats: 2-for-6, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 BB
• Alex Laird: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB

FALCON STAT FACTS

• Garrett Wright tallied a season-high four hits and was hit by a pitch, continuing his on-base streak to 25 games, matching the longest streak by a Falcon this year. Wright's HBP also marked his 20th of the season, one away from matching his program record that he set last season. 
• Gavin Ganun's grand slam marked his second home run in as many games and the first grand slam of the season for BGSU. Ganun now has six home runs on the year.
• Gunner Antillon continued to swing a hot bat for the week, registering four hits and five RBI in the game. Antillon's five RBI are the most by a Falcon since Sam Seidel's five against Dayton on March 5. This week, Antillon has 11 hits, five doubles and two home runs, resulting in 10 RBI and five runs scored. 
• Zack Horky recorded a career-high four hits in the game, including a pair of RBI and two runs scored. He also swiped his second stolen base of the season, his first time with multiple stolen bases in a season with BGSU. 
• Brayden Curlis launched his first career home run for the Falcons and scored twice, tying his season-high. 
• Carter Mottice logged a season-high three hits in the game for the Falcons while making contact on his third double of the season.
• Brady Birchmeier tallied a career-high four runs while recording two hits and two RBI in the game. 

UP NEXT
The Falcons and Cardinals will conclude the series on Saturday (April 19), currently scheduled for 2 p.m. start, an hour later than the originally set time. Check the baseball schedule at BGSUFalcons.com and @BGSU_Baseball on Twitter/X for updates and changes. 

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