Oilers Struggle vs. Fighting Saints
Errors proved to be costly for the University of Findlay baseball team as they struggled on Monday morning, March 3rd, and dropped their contest vs. the University of St. Francis Fighting Saints in a game that was shortened via the 10-run rule. The 15-3 loss dropped the Oilers to 1-2 on the young season.
The Saints scored 14 runs in the first four innings, including an eight run barrage in the second, and never looked back from there. That second inning included six hits, including a homerun, two errors, a walk, and a hit batter. Junior pitcher Jon Walker received the tough loss as he was recipient of six unearned runs.
The Oilers, down 11-0 in the third, did muster a little offense of their own. With two outs, senior Michael Louis drew a walk and advanced to second when junior Tyler Donaldson was hit by a pitch. Senior second baseman Joe Sickler, who had two of the three RBI's for Findlay on the day, drove in his first run with a single to center.
Findlay bats would remain cool as they only had one more hit until Sickler led off the bottom of the sixth. The senior drove a ball over the left field wall for the Oilers first home run of the year.
The Oilers entered the bottom of the seventh and needed four to cross the plate to avoid the run-rule. Junior Aden Ohl led off the inning with a walk advanced to third base via a wild pitch and a passed ball. Senior Dylan Cintula hit a ground ball to second base that scored Ohl and made the score 15-3 in favor of the Saints. After a fly ball out, freshman Logan Harrah doubled, but that wasn't enough to continue play as the next batter flew out to right field, ending the game.
Sickler was the hot bat for Findlay as he went 2-3 and had two RBI's, including that sixth inning big-fly.
Walker took the loss for the Oilers as he went 1.2 innings, allowed nine hits and nine runs, three of which were earned, walked two, and struck out one.
Junior Mike Steele had a solid effort out of the bullpen as he went 2.2 innings and only allowed one earned run on two hits. He struck out two.
As a team, Findlay finished with three runs, five hits, and six errors.
The Oilers are now off until Wednesday, March 5th when they will face the Gannon University Golden Knights for a double-header that will begin at noon.