Findlay Falls in Extra Innings, Split Double-Header
Something you will almost never see happened to the University of Findlay in Game 1 of a double header versus Gannon University in Aurburndale, Florida on Wednesday, March 5th as the Oilers failed to record a hit but still won the contest by a final of 1-0. The win moved the Oilers back to the .500 mark at 2-2.
Sophomore Mason Mayberry, making only his second career start, was the story for Findlay as he shut down the Golden Knights for 6.1 innings, stranding eight runners.
Findlay, the visiting team on the scoreboard, would bat first and got all they needed as junior Tyler Donaldson walked to begin the game vs. Gannon knuckleballer Dustin Godden. A passed ball allowed the Oilers centerfielder to advance to second. From there, a steal put a runner 90 feet from home with only one out. Senior Reid Rothenbuhler then stepped to the plate and hit a sac fly, scoring Donaldson for what would prove to be the only run of the game.
From that point on, Findlay only had one runner get past second base.
Mayberry got the win on the mound and junior Alex Williams collected the save out of the bullpen.
Game two vs. Gannon is currently underway.
Follow FINDLAY BASEBALL for live updates from the game.
Check back after game two has concluded for official statistics.
GAME 2
In game two of the twin-bill, the Oilers struggled just as they did in game one, this time however, coming out on bottom, losing in extra innings by a final of 3-0 to Gannon.
Findlay received another impressive pitching performance, this time from freshman A.J. Cecil.
The freshman, making his first collegiate start, escaped early trouble as he worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning of play. The Oak Harbor native would go seven innings, allowing zero runs. Williams would come out of the bullpen for the remaining two innings.
The Oilers offense was again stymied by Golden Knights pitching, however, Findlay did not go without a chance to score.
In the bottom of the first, senior Joe Sickler laced a one out single to left, the first hit of the afternoon for the Oilers. Following a strikeout, a stolen base, an infield single from senior Reid Rothenbuhler, and another stolen base, the home team had runners on second and third with two out. However, the threat ended with a groundball out.
Just as in the first game, this was the last time Findlay would get a runner past second base for the remaining eight innings.
Taking the loss was Williams who went two innings and gave up three runs.
Findlay is back on the diamond tomorrow, March 6th and 10:30am for a tough contest that pits them against the #2 team in the nation, the 5-1 Mavericks of Minnesota State University-Mankato.