Oilers Sweep Lourdes in Home Opener
The University of Findlay softball team hosted Lourdes University for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 21 for their 2017 home opener. The Oilers picked up a pair of victories to improve their record to 10-10 on the season.
Junior Destinie Keeton got things started for the Oilers with a leadoff double in the opening inning. Junior Cassidy Ghesquiere and senior Lauren Trumpler walked to load the bases. Junior Kelley Cejer connected on a two RBI double for an early 2-0 lead.
Lourdes evened the score in the top of the third on a two RBI single by Oliva Stanton. Findlay answered in the bottom of the third with two runs of their own. Ghesquiere singled to begin the inning. With two outs junior Madison Arnold cleared the bases with a 2 run home run (her 7th of the season) for a 4-2 Findlay lead.
The Oilers added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an Arnold RBI triple to extend the lead to 5-2.
The hot bats continued for Findlay as they tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning behind a grand slam from Keeton (5th home run on the season) to lead 9-2.
Lourdes scored the final run of the game in the top of the sixth for a 9-3 final.
Senior Jenna Inman (4-1) earned the win for the Oilers in the circle. She pitched 5.2 innings giving up three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three weeks.
Keeton, Arnold and Cejer all had multiple hits for Findlay in the game.
Two big innings lifted the Oilers to victory in game two on the evening. Lourdes got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning for an early 1-0, but the lead didn't last long as Findlay scored five runs in the bottom half of the first.
Keeton led off with a double and sophomore Erika Farst drew a walk. Arnold emptied the bases with a three run home run (8th of the season). Trumpler followed up with a double and with two outs, sophomore Breanna Cleland doubled to bring Trumpler home. Junior Meredith Shepherd roped a single to center to score the fifth run of the inning for a 5-1 lead.
Lourdes' Paige Churchfield hit a solo shot to left field in the top of the second to cut the lead Oiler lead to 5-2. Findlay answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second on a RBI single by Trumpler.
Lourdes added one run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Findlay still held a 6-5 lead.
The Oilers exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Shepherd and senior Jenna Huff singled and a walk by Keeton loaded the bases. Two consecutive walks brought in two runs and Cejer connected on a RBI single for a 9-5 lead. Junior Hayley Apple singled to bring home another run and Cleland finished the scoring with a RBI groundout for a 12-5 final in favor of the Oilers.
On the mound sophomore Hailey Bryan (5-6) picked up the victory. She pitched five innings giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits and five strikeouts. Freshman Evyn Kachenmeister earned her first career save after coming in relief.
At the plate, Keeton, Trumpler Cejer and Shepherd had multiple hits for Findlay.
The Oilers return to the playing field on Saturday, March 25 at Hillsdale College for a doubleheader. The first game is set to begin at 1 p.m.