Findlay Sweeps Walsh on Senior Day
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay softball team hosted the Walsh University Cavaliers on Sunday, April 23, the final regular season home games of the year for the Oilers. Findlay swept the doubleheader, winning the opener by a score of 6-4 and taking the finale 7-5 on Senior Day. With the two wins the Oilers improve to 28-13 on the year with a 13-7 record in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play while Walsh falls to 16-20 overall and 10-10 in the league.
Defense got the game started for Findlay as the first batter of the game popped up to the outfield down the third base line. Shortstop Bailey Bates went full extension to make the catch and record the out, setting the tone for the day.
In the bottom of the first, freshman Alexys Antal hit her first college home run, a line drive over the wall in right field to give Findlay a 1-0 lead. After an error allowed freshman Annika Bredel to reach base, a single by senior Caroline Turner gave the Oilers a two-run cushion.
Findlay added to that lead in the third inning. Junior Avery Shepherd led off with an infield single and, after a fly out and ground out, a throwing error by Walsh allowed Caroline Turner to reach base and let Addison Bender, who pinch ran for Shepherd, score. Turner then stole second base but, the throw down ricocheted off her facemask and rolled to the wall in centerfield. Turner would come around to score on the play, putting Findlay ahead 4-0.
Walsh cut the lead in half in the fourth, but in the fifth inning, two more Walsh errors allowed two Findlay runs to score.
The Oilers would finish the game with six runs on five hits, taking advantage of five Cavaliers' errors.
Sophomore Emma Jones threw a complete game to earn the win, improving to 14-3 on the year. She scattered ten hits and allowed four runs. She walked two and struck out a career-high 11 batters.
Game 2 began with a flurry of runs as Walsh scored three runs on three hits in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead. That advantage did not last long.
In the bottom of the first, Findlay answered, thanks in part to more errors by the struggling Cavaliers defense. Shepherd reached on an error to start the frame and Antal reached on a catcher's interference. Bredel singled to left, but an error by the left fielder allowed two runs to score and put Bredel on third. After a groundout sent Bredel home, a solo home run by Olivia Carlton put the Oilers ahead 4-3. A walk and a double forced an early exit to Walsh's starting pitcher. In the inning, Findlay scored five runs on three hits and took advantage of three Walsh errors.
Single runs in the third and fourth inning put the Oilers ahead 7-3. The home team would hang on late, picking up the two-run victory.
Senior Molly Pfiffner collected the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. She went a complete game while allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits. She walked three and struck out one.
Caroline Turner and Kaitlynn Briggs each picked up three hits on the day. Briggs, who had a double, picked up two RBI while Turner had two RBI and two runs scored.
Findlay is back in action on Friday, April 28 with a trip to Hillsdale College.