Findlay Wraps Up Ashland Series With Split

Findlay, OH – The University of Findlay baseball team wrapped up their series with Ashland with another split on Tuesday, March 21. After the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) series, the Oilers are now 11-3 overall and have a 2-2 mark in the league while the Eagles fall to 8-11 overall and 2-2 in conference action.

Game 1 | L 4-1 (Box Score)

Findlay looked to be in business early on in their first game of the day as they were able to score a run in the bottom of the first inning on a double from senior Peter Yorgen. But the Oilers managed just five base runners over the final six innings and surrendered four runs to the Ashland Eagles to drop the opener, 4-1.

Yorgen, sophomore Jordan Williams, and junior Christion Smith were the only players to record a hit in the first game. Troy Merriman reached twice on a pair of walks.

Sophomore Mark Delas took the loss on the hill as he allowed four earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched. He gave up eight hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Ashland finished with four runs on ten hits and made one error while Findlay scored one run on three hits and made no errors.

Game 2 | W 9-7 (Box Score)

Offense took over in the night cap with Findlay coming out on top by a score of 9-7.

Ashland took control of the game with three runs in the top of the second inning, but Findlay answered with an even better bottom half of the inning, a five-run barrage.

Christion Smith led off with a single and was chased to third base by a double from junior Pete Burkett. A walk to Austin Adams loaded the bases with no outs. A fielding error was followed by a single from Troy Merriman to make the score 3-2 with the bases still loaded. After a strikeout, senior Logan Harrah rolled a ball to the short stop who got the out at second base, but, in an attempt to get Cameron Johnson out at third, threw the ball to the fence to allow a pair of runs to score, giving Findlay their first lead of the game at 4-3. A triple off the bat of sophomore Derrick Herd would plate the final run.

Ashland scored on a solo home run in the third and added two runs in the fourth to regain the lead at 6-5.

Findlay, again, had an answer. In the bottom of the fifth, Harrah led off with a double to left center field. The bases became loaded with no outs on a walk to Herd and single from Yorgen, who extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Senior Miguel Valdez roped a pinch-hit single to give the Oilers a 7-6 lead, a lead they would not relinquish.

Harrah finished the game with a pair of hits, two runs scored, and an RBI while Burkett added two hits, a run, and an RBI. Valdez had one hit and had a team-leading two RBI.

Freshman Drew Kline came out of the bullpen to earn the first win of his career on the mound. He tossed 3.1 innings and did not allow a run on two hits. He walked two and struck out one.

Senior AJ Cecil came on for the final two innings and picked up his second save of the year. He threw his two innings and allowed a run on two hits while striking out two.

Findlay will play their next game on Thursday, March 23 at home against Urbana. That game will begin at 3:30pm.