Oilers Close Perfect Trip to Cary
Cary, NC – The University of Findlay baseball team finished their spring trip with a 6-2 record including four wins in North Carolina to cap their trip. On Saturday, Mar. 10, the Oilers defeated LIU Post and the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) to make it four consecutive wins heading back to Ohio.
Game 1 vs LIU Post (W 6-4 | Box Score)
Riding the momentum of two wins the day before, Findlay began Saturday with a flurry of hits. After a quick two outs in the top of the first, Derrick Herd singled and scored on a Tyler Burley double to left center. Another hit and a walk would load the bases, but a strikeout ended the threat.
The Oilers would extend that lead in the third when Herd singled to lead off the inning. With Nic Varda at the plate, Herd stole second, but the throw sailed into centerfield. Herd advanced to third and scored when the Pioneers' centerfielder threw the ball into the home dugout to give Findlay a 2-0 lead.
The Pioneers got on the board in the third inning with three runs to take a 3-2 lead and added a single run in the fourth to extend that lead to 4-2.
Josh Schwerer tripled to deep left center field to lead off the seventh and scored on a single by Casey Gould, who would finish the day with four hits.
Trailing 4-3 in the top of the ninth, the Oilers got some help from some poor defense by the Pioneers to take a 6-4 lead. Ryan O'Malley singled to lead off the inning and was pinch run for by Cameron Johnson, who reached second on a passed ball. After a sac bunt by Troy Merriman and walk by Josh Schwerer, another passed ball would allow Johnson to score. Schwerer rounded second and headed to third on the play, forcing the Pioneers catcher to make attempt a throw. That throw sailed into left field, allowing Schwerer to score which gave Findlay a 5-4 lead.
Casey Gould then reached on an error and, after a walk, scored on a single by Tyler Burley.
Mark Delas, who entered the game to start the fourth inning, delivered on the mound in the bottom of the ninth as LIU Post would be retired in order to end the game.
Delas earned the win on the hill, tossing six innings of no-hit ball. He walked two batters and struck out four to earn his second win of the year.
Casey Gould, Derrick Herd, Tyler Burley, and Nic Varda all finished with two hits in the contest. Gould scored one run and had one RBI, Herd scored a pair of runs, Burley had two RBI, and Josh Schwerer, who was 1-for-3 in the game, also scored a pair of runs.
Game 2 vs NYIT (W 7-4 | Box Score)
For the first time since arriving in North Carolina, the Oilers did not trail in their game against the Bears of NYIT, earning a 7-4 victory.
Findlay would score single runs in each of the first three innings as Derrick Herd, Casey Gould, and Austin Rawlins would deliver with RBIs in the first, second, and third inning, respectively.
The Bears answered with three runs of their own to tie the game in the fourth inning on the strength of four hits.
In the fifth inning, the Oilers loaded the bases with two outs. Troy Merriman walked to plate the go-ahead run and a wild pitch allowed Austin Rawlins to score, giving Findlay a two-run cushion.
The Oilers added two more runs in the eighth and, after a run pulled the Bears to within three, Josh Robinson came in to earn his third save in two days, retiring the only batter he faced in the ninth.
Cory Carl got the win on the hill for Findlay as he threw eight solid innings. Carl scattered ten hits and allowed three runs. He walked one and struck out four to earn his first win of the year.
Gould, Burley, and Rawlins each had a pair of hits in the game. Eight of the Oilers nine starters finished the game with at least one hit and five different players scored a run.
Findlay will return to Ohio for their next contest, a game against NCAA DI opponent Toledo on Wednesday, March 14. That game is scheduled to be played in Toledo at 3:05 pm.