March 26, 2011
Final Stats
Final Box in PDF Format 
Bowling Green 8, Northern Illinois 0
Ralph McKinzie Field | DeKalb, Ill.
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1 |
2 |
3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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R
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H
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E
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BGSU
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0
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1
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0
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0
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1
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0
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2
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0
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4
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8
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11
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0
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| NIU |
0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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3
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4
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W: Bruns (1-1) L: Barry (1-1)
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Player of the Game
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Tom Barry
5.1 IP
2 ER
9 SO
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DeKALB, Ill. - For the second game in a row, Bowling Green kept Northern Illinois' bats silent as the Falcons held the Huskies to just three hits in an 8-0 win Saturday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.
Entering the three-game series, the Huskies (5-13, 0-2 MAC) had won five of their last six. But the Falcons (8-10, 2-0 MAC) have now taken each of the first two games of the Mid-American Conference and NIU home schedules. The common thread to each win has been quality pitching for BGSU, as the Falcons have held NIU to just eight hits and allowed two runs through the first 18 innings of the series.
The game looked like a pitching duel early as NIU starter Tom Barry was matching BGSU starter Nick Bruns nearly pitch for pitch. However, Bruns and the Falcons took full control with six runs in the final three innings - two in the seventh and four in the ninth.
In taking the loss, Barry (1-1) set a career high with nine strikeouts on the day, including fanning five batters through two frames. Unfortunately for NIU, Barry was only able to get through 5.1 innings after giving up two earned runs and leaving the bases loaded with one out in the sixth. Freshman Alex Klonowski bailed Barry out by getting a 6-4-3 double play ball to escape, leaving Barry's final line at 5.1 innings pitched, two earned runs given up on six hits and four walks with nine strikeouts.
"Tommy was throwing the ball great," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. "He didn't deserve the fate he had today. He had to throw some extra pitches because of a few non-plays and errors, and you can't do that on a day like this, with the cold temperature. Tom competed again today, like he did his last time out against St. Louis, he did a good job. I'm not saying he should have won, but taking a loss like this is a tough thing."
However, Barry needed to be closer to perfect to end up on the right side of the ledger on this frigid afternoon. Bruns was spotted a 1-0 lead in the second after a wind-blown triple came around to score on T.J. Losby's RBI single. The one run was all Bruns needed as he cruised in a complete game three-hit performance, with two walks and 12 strikeouts, earning his first win (1-1) of the season.
"We couldn't get [Bruns] solved," Mathey said. "I'm not quote certain as to why yet - we've seen him before and had success against him - but as the game went on he got hungrier and competed in the zone well. We just couldn't get anything going on offense and that's something we have to have a discussion about and see what we can do. The last two days we've been letting good pitches go and swinging at bad pitches."
Losby was responsible for driving in half of BGSU's runs as he went 2-for-5, adding a three-run triple in the ninth.
NIU's three hits were achieved by Troy White, Jeff Zimmerman and Brett Frantini.
The teams complete the MAC opening three-game series tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. (CT). Sunday's scheduled starters are NIU righty Jeremy Gonzales (1-4 | 8.51 ERA) and BGSU righty Charles Wooten (1-2 | 3.80 ERA). Following the game, the Huskies will be hosting a silent auction at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb, where fans will have a chance to take home the special green St. Patrick's Day jerseys that NIU donned in its 3-0 win over Illinois at Rent One Park in Marion, Ill., on March 17.
-NIU-
