Seidel siblings spark BGSU in MAC tournament opener

AVON — Sam Seidel had the best view in the house. The Bowling Green State University second baseman was in his defensive stance when the relief pitcher in front of him was pitching with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning of Thursday's Mid-American Conference tournament quarterfinal game. And when his teammate got a swinging strike three against a Miami University batter, he let out a huge scream as he stomped off the mound in excitement. From second base, Sam was pumping his fist to celebrate. But unlike the rest of his teammates, he's been watching that sequence for years, as the pitcher was older brother, Isaiah, on the mound for the Falcons. "It's an amazing feeling, because I also know my teammates feed off his energy out there," Sam said of his brother coming through in a big spot in the 12-4 win over the Redhawks at Lake Erie Crushers Stadium in Avon. "He's an absolute competitor out there and we all have trust in him, so in that spot, I felt good about it. It's been a fun ride with him." The Falcons (33-18) are two wins away from an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. BGSU won the MAC regular season title, and will face No. 2 seed Western Michigan (30-21) at 6 p.m. Friday. The winner earns a spot in Saturday's 6 p.m. championship game. Isaiah, a 2020 South Central graduate, entered the tournament as the reigning MAC Pitcher of the Week. He entered Thursday's game with two runners on and no outs in the top of the seventh. After five straight strikes — including a strikeout on three pitches — Isaiah hit a batter, then didn't get a call on a 3-2 pitch that walked in a run. But he went on to strike out three more batters and allowed just one hit in his two innings of work. "I was just going to leave it all out there," Isaiah said after he lowered his earned run average to 4.50 in 18 appearances. "That's all I can do and all I can control, but just coming into that spot, you're trying to throw strikes." "Obviously I love to compete, too, and I want to help my team win anyway I can. So I was just trying to leave it all out there." Sam, a 2022 S.C. graduate, also made several contributions to the victory. He was 2 for 3 with two walks, two RBIs and scored a run in his five plate appearances. The sophomore is an All-MAC first team selection and will enter Friday's game batting .324 with 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 31 RBIs. He is second on the team in hits. "I know the work Sam puts in, and I'm happy it's paying off for him," Isaiah said of his brother. "He deserves all the success he's had. "I probably take it for granted a little too much, but it's awesome to have him right there. It's indescribable in a lot of ways." BGSU head coach Kyle Hallock, a Perkins graduate who knows the Firelands and Sandusky Bay conferences well, was excited for the siblings — but especially parents Brett and Krista. "Seeing the joy they are having watching them play one last year together is really cool," Hallock said. "And for them to go out on this stage is what it's supposed to be for families like that who do things like they do." Hallock said Isaiah has come a long way since he transferred to BGSU from Ashland University in 2022. "And in the FC, he has a long history of punching people out in big moments," he said. "We just told him to do the same thing here in Avon today … do exactly what got you here. "He deserved to be in that moment, and he deserved good things to happen for him in that moment." Peyton Wilson, a 2020 New London graduate, has also made 20 appearances for the Falcons this season and did not appear in Thursday's win. Hallock couldn't help but smile knowing all three were being recruited while playing in the same Firelands Conference game in 2019. "The high-level competitors from that area, those guys are about getting the opportunity to get on that big stage and represent," Hallock said. "It's really neat to see them earn the opportunity. Because if they are in the Bowling Green or Cincinnati area, we're still going after them. "But knowing what that area is like, I know exactly what they are going home to and I know exactly how they are going to show up at the park. It's hopefully just the start of us recruiting and having success in that area of the state."