Game 1 recap: Bowling Green vs. Stephen F. Austin

Photo Credit: Jayson Ortiz

BOWLING GREEN 7, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 3
BOX SCORE

FORT COLLINS, CO -- Maycee Godbolt hit two home runs for Bowling Green, and starting pitcher Payton Gottshall struck out 10 batters as the Falcons topped Stephen F. Austin in the first game of the 2022 NISC.

Godbolt, who entered the game hitting .188 with two home runs on the season, launched a three-run homer in the top of the fifth to put Bowling Green ahead, 4-2. Payton Hamm added two runs in the frame with a double that drove in Sarah Gonzalez and Sophie Weber as the Falcons moved ahead, 6-2.

SFA got it to 6-3 via a solo home run from Dakotah Pool in the bottom of the fifth, but Godbolt answered with a home run in the top of the seventh to make it 7-3. Gottshall moved to 26-12 on the season and now has 366 strikeouts on the year, ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Bowling Green (33-19) will face top-seeded Virginia on Sunday in the winners bracket of the double-elim format, with the Ladyjacks (31-26) set for a Monday game in the loser’s half.

Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Lexi Carver lead off with a single, followed by a double from Sophie Weber. The Ladyjacks tied it up on a solo home run from Sydnee Hebert in the bottom of the third.

Camryn Middlebrook legged out an infield single for Stephen F. Austin to drive in a run in the fourth inning. Emily Berryhill singled in the fourth for SFA, and Gaby Garcia hit a double to put runners on second and third. Middlebrook grounded to shortstop but beat the throw to score Berryhill as the Ladyjacks took a 2-1 lead.