Oilers Picked to Finish 12th in the GLIAC
The University of Findlay baseball team was picked to finish 12th in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) this season as the league office released their preseason poll on March 4.
The Oilers received 27 points in the poll and Grand Valley State University was selected as the favorite after racking up 118 points and eight first place votes.
Findlay finished last season with a 19-26 record and are under the guidance of Steve Parrill, who took over for the recently retired Troy Berry.
Senior shortstop Reid Rothenbuhler will return to lead the Oilers infield in 2014. Rothenbuhler earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last year for Findlay when he hit .333 with 15 doubles and 33 runs batted in. Seniors Dylan Cintula and Joe Sickler will also return to lead the infield group as they combined to make 82 starts last season for Findlay.
The Oilers will have to make up for the loss of honorable mention All-American, Blake Schmenk, in the outfield in 2014. The Oilers will have a number of players battling it out for spots on the depth chart in the spring.
Seniors Drew Hargrove and Derek Draper will anchor the Oilers pitching staff in 2014. Hargrove made six starts for Findlay in 2013 and finished third on the team with 51.1 innings pitched. Draper meanwhile has dealt with some injuries during his career, but appears to be fully healthy for 2014. He made two starts for Findlay in 2013 and struck out 14 batters in 11 innings of work as a junior.