MAC Baseball Player of the Week
Adam Furnas, Bowling Green, First Base
Senior, Bowling Green, Ohio (Bowling Green)
Bowling Green senior Adam Furnas showcased a hot bat all weekend for the Falcons. Furnas began the season by going 4-for-7 in the Falcons' 22-8 victory Friday night (Feb. 18). Two of those hits were doubles for Furnas while adding two RBI and three runs scored to his stat line. The success at the plate continued into the second game of the series. Furnas played a key role in the Falcons' comeback effort that fell just shy, 9-8, going 2-for-5. Furnas belted his first home run of the season in the game and tallied two more RBI while scoring twice. In the series finale on Sunday (Feb. 20), Furnas continued to see the ball well, going 2-for-4 while scoring once in the 5-4 win to give BGSU a series win over Saint Louis to open the season.
MAC Baseball Co-Pitchers of the Week
Adam Filinski, Eastern Michigan, RHP
Freshman, Howell, Mich. (Detroit Catholic Central)
Eastern Michigan freshman right-hander Adam Falinski was unbelievable in his first career outing, Sunday, Feb. 20 at Winthrop. Falinski led EMU to its first win of the season in his first career start, going 7.0 innings on the bump and allowing just two hits. He struck out six Winthrop hitters and issued just three free passes. Falinski’s outing is the longest of any Eagle thus far in 2022. He leads the league in ERA, opponent batting average (.091), innings pitched (7.0), wins (1), and is fourth in strikeouts. Last season, EMU needed 33 games to record its first shutout. Falinski, with the help of relievers in the eighth and ninth, led EMUs effort to do it in just three this season.
Jeremy Spezia, Bowling Green, Relief Pitcher
Senior, Clinton Township, Mich. (L'Anse Creuse)
Bowling Green senior Jeremy Spezia was electric out of the bullpen for the Falcons during the opening weekend, playing a key role in both BGSU wins. On Friday (Feb. 18), Spezia entered the game and offered the Falcons four strong innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out four. The effort allowed the Falcons to take a commanding lead en route to a 22-8 win with Spezia collected the win on the mound. As for his second appearance of the weekend, Spezia entered in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, the bases loaded and the Falcons up just 5-4. Spezia needed just three pitches to force the game-clinching out to secure the save, his first of the season and 10th of his career. With Spezia's win and save, the Falcons collected their first series win to open a season since the 2013 campaign.
