Oilers Fall at Grand Valley
The University of Findlay softball team traveled to Allendale, Mich. for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) doubleheader with Grand Valley State University on Saturday, April 8. The Oilers were unable to knock off the Lakers and were swept to fall to 16-15 on the season and 6-4 in GLIAC play.
Findlay struggled at the plate and was shut out in the first game by a 6-0 score. The Oilers managed only three hits while the Lakers connected on ten. Findlay also committed four errors while Grand Valley had two miscues.
At the end of the first, Grand Valley held a 2-0 lead after a RBIs by Kelcie LaTour and Jessica Ramos. The Lakers added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of RBIs by Ellie Balbach and Tanner Klessel. The Lakers scored their final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a RBI double by Jenna Lenza and an error allowed the final run to score for a 6-0 final.
Junior Kelley Cejer went 2-for-2 at the plate for Findlay and junior Hayley Apple finished 1-for-2.
Senior Jenna Inman (5-5) took the loss in the circle for the Oilers. She pitched four innings giving up four runs on eight hits. Sophomore Morgan James pitched the remaining two innings giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits.
Findlay took an early lead, but the Lakers used a three run sixth inning and a two run seventh inning for a come from behind 6-4 victory.
The Oilers took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three run home run by junior Destinie Keeton (fifth of the season). Senior Lauren Trumpler and Cejer singled in the inning.
In the top of the fifth, the Lakers cut the deficit to 3-1 on a solo home run by Ramos. Grand Valley took the lead in the top of the sixth when an error by the Oilers allowed one run to score, another came across the plate on a RBI by LaTour and Jenna Czart put the Lakers up 4-3 with a RBI single.
Findlay knotted up the score at 4-all in the bottom of the sixth after a throwing error allowed junior Amanda Delmonte, who doubled earlier in the inning, to score.
In the top of the seventh Grand Valley regained the lead on back-to-back RBI singles by Shannon Flaherty and Ramos for a 6-4 final score.
The Oilers were led by Trumpler who finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, Keeton (2-for-4, three RBIs) and Delmonte (2-for-3, double). As a team, Findlay connected on nine hits while Grand Valley recorded 12. Both teams committed one error a piece.
Sophomore Hailey Bryan (9-7) picked up the loss for the Oilers. She pitched 6.2 innings giving up six runs on 12 hits.
The Oilers return to the playing field Sunday, April 9 in Big Rapids, Mich. for a GLIAC doubleheader at Ferris State University. The first game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start.