Stranded Runners Doom Oilers Against Malone

Stranded Runners Doom Oilers Against Malone

Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team dropped a pair of pitching duals to the top team in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) on Friday, April 5 in their home opener. The Oilers lost the first game 3-0 and then fell 3-1 in the nightcap to fall to 10-14 overall and 4-8 in the league. Malone University improved their league-best record to 12-4 and are now 22-11 overall.

Game 1 Box Score (L 3-0)

Malone was the first team to get on the board in the first contest of the day as they scored a single run in the third inning.

Findlay, which did manage four hits in the first three innings, could not push a run across as they left two runners on in the second and one more in the third.

Fast forward to the eighth inning, trailing 2-0, Findlay got a leadoff single from freshman Alex Foulks and, after a sacrifice bunt, benefited from back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. A strikeout and a pop up ended the threat as the Oilers added three to the 'left-on-base' column.

Malone added another single run in the ninth for insurance and held Findlay to just a single in the bottom of the ninth.

In the game the Oilers scored no runs on seven hits, made two errors, and left ten runners on base. Malone scored three, had six hits, two errors, and left 11 runners on base.

Foulks finished the game with three hits in five at-bats to lead the offense. Senior Derrick Herd, junior Casey Gould, senior Trevor Anderson, and junior Sam Shelt Palm each had singles in the game.

Junior Tyler Rendlesham was the tough-luck loser on the mound and falls to 0-2 this year. He threw seven solid innings and allowed just two runs, one earned, on four hits. He struck out five and walked five.

Game 2 Box Score (L 3-1)

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the trend from the first contest carried over into the nightcap.

Malone plated a run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Findlay then got a walk and a hit with one out to put two runners on, but those runners were both stranded.

Findlay finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning after Alex Foulks led off with a walk and an error put Derrick Herd on base, as well. Sophomore Ryan Johnson then delivered with an RBI single to left field to tie the game. After a walk to load the bases with one out, a double play ended the inning.

In the seventh inning with senior Alex Harter on the hill, the Oilers got two outs and had a runner on third. The fourth batter of the inning, Zach Mottice, dribbled a ball off the end of his bat which ricocheted off Harter's glove and rolled slowly towards second base. Harter chased down the ball to no avail as Mottice reached first with an infield single and Malone took a 2-1 lead. Another run would score later in the inning on a wild pitch.

Trailing 3-1, the Oilers ultimately loaded the bases with two outs. Sophomore Tyler Archambeau roped a ball up the middle, but the Pioneers' shortstop scooped up the ball on the run behind second base and flipped it to the bag just in time to beat Casey Gould at second to end the ball game.

The Oilers scored their one run on eight hits, did not commit an error, and again left double-digits on base with 12. Malone scored three runs on seven hits and made one error. They left eight on base.

Alex Harter took the loss despite a solid effort on the hill. He threw 6.2 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked four.

Senior Trevor Anderson had two hits and a walk in the game to lead the offense. Foulks had a hit, a walk, and scored the lone run of the game.

Findlay will take on Malone again tomorrow, April 6 in a double-header beginning at 1:00 pm.