Findlay Takes Down Tiffin in Four-Game Sweep
Tiffin, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team made it a clean sweep on Saturday, April 8, winning both games of a doubleheader against the Tiffin Dragons. The Oilers cleaned up with wins of 4-2 and 9-7 to win all four games of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) series. With the two wins, Findlay improves to 16-14 on the year with a 9-7 record in the G-MAC while Tiffin, which has made the conference tournament three consecutive seasons, falls to 9-23 overall with a 1-15 record in league action.
Findlay got ahead early in Saturday's opener. With one out, senior Cole Kwiatkowski was hit by a pitch and scored on a double to right center by senior Cam Farrar. The next batter, freshman Casey Maruniak, singled to right, allowing Farrar to score and giving Findlay a 2-0 lead.
In the second, freshman Keelan Daniel walked with one out and came in to score on a double by senior Aiden Lao.
A home run by the Dragons in the third made it 3-1 and in the fourth, Tiffin loaded the bases with two outs before a foul-out ended the threat.
The next run of the game came in the seventh when senior Nate Brooks ripped a one out single through the left side to score Kwiatkowski who reached on an infield single.
One run in the bottom of the seventh by the Dragons made the score 4-2, but it was not enough as the Oilers sealed the victory.
Freshman Blaine Wynk got the win to improve to 3-2 on the year. He threw four innings and allowed just one run on three hits. He worked around five walks and struck out five.
Earning the save was freshman Carson Mellott who was brilliant out of the bullpen, tossing three innings of relief and allowing just one run, unearned, while not allowing a hit.
The series finale featured more offense and featured a late comeback by the Oilers.
Lao reached base to open the contest when Tiffin's centerfielder dropped a fly ball. Lao would later score on a single by Maruniak to put the Oilers ahead 1-0.
Tiffin scored three in the second to take their first lead of the day, but it did not phase the Orange and Black.
With two outs in the third, Lao, who would finish the game with three hits, hit a no-doubter over the wall in left field to pull his team within a run at 3-2 and in the fifth, a miscue by the Dragons' defense allowed Findlay to tie the game at 3-3.
Three runs by the Dragons made it 6-3 through six innings.
Findlay's half of the seventh was the difference in the outcome. Junior Andrew Micale walked with one out and advanced to third on a single by freshman Keelan Daniel. Another hit by Lao, a single, scored Micale and moved Daniel to second. After a strikeout, Farrar walked to load the bases with two outs. Maruniak ripped a ball up the middle and Tiffin's pitcher reached behind his back to knock the ball down, but it bounced away and all runners were safe. Nate Brooks capped the four-run inning with a single to right that scored two more runs, putting the Oilers on top 7-6.
Findlay's first two batters in the eighth were retired but, a Keelan Daniel walk and single by Lao put runners on the corners. Lao stole second and then senior Cole Kwiatkowski roped a double to left field, scoring both Daniel and Lao.
Tiffin managed a run in the ninth, but a strikeout with runners on first and third ended the game in favor of the Oilers.
Senior Bailey McCord started on the hill and tossed 5.1 innings while allowed six runs, five earned, on five hits. He walked five and struck out five.
Junior Logan Bragg got the win in relief, throwing 3.2 innings and giving up just one run on four hits. He walked to and struck out two of the 17 batters he faced.
Aiden Lao led the offense on the day as he picked up four hits including a double and a home run in the doubleheader. He finished with three RBI and four runs scored on the day.
Maruniak also had four hits and three RBI on the day while Brooks had three hits and three RBI. Keelan Daniel scored three runs, as well.
The Oilers are back in action on Tuesday, April 11 when they play host to Mercyhurst. Start times are still TBD for that doubleheader.