Oilers Power Past Hillsdale | Most Hits in Game Since 2013
Hillsdale, Mich. – The University of Findlay baseball team won a slugfest on a windy day in Hillsdale, Michigan on Thursday, April 12. The Oilers won the game by a score of 11-10 to improve to 17-8 on the season and 10-4 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. For the Chargers, it was their 19th loss of the season as they fall to 15-19 with a 12-4 mark in league contests.
Findlay scored their 11 runs on 19 hits, the most hits in a game since a 25-hit outburst on March 5, 2013 in a game against Oakland City University.
The scoring began in the top of the first inning after a leadoff single from freshman Ethan St. Clair was later followed by an RBI single from freshman Tyler Burley. After a hit by junior Nic Varda, freshman Ryan Johnson roped a double to right field to score Burley and give Findlay a 2-0 lead. However, Hillsdale answered with five hits and three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead at 3-2.
Two RBI from Tyler Burley in the second inning gave the Oilers a 4-2 lead and a home run by St. Clair to lead off the fourth inning extended that lead to 5-2. Three errors by the Chargers would lead to two more runs in the fourth to give a four-run cushion to the Orange and Black.
The Chargers battled back to tie the game at 7-7 through six innings, but a sac fly in the seventh gave Findlay a lead they would not relinquish. Leading 11-7 in the bottom of the ninth, the Chargers were able to push three runs across, but with the bases loaded and two outs, the G-MAC's save leader, Josh Robinson, coaxed a fly-out off the bat of the Chargers' three-hole hitter to end the game.
A pair of freshman were vital to the victory as Ethan St. Clair would finish the game with five hits and Tyler Burley ended with four. St. Clair had three singles, a triple, and a home run, scored three runs, and had one RBI. Burley's four hits were all singles as he drove in three and scored two runs.
Nic Varda also had a great day at the plate, picking up three hits while freshman Ryan Johnson and Troy Merriman each had two hits.
Freshman Jordan Bekier got the start on the hill and lasted five innings. He allowed five runs on ten hits while giving up five walks and striking out five batters. Senior Eric Schrand came out of the pen to earn the victory on the hill. He tossed 3.2 innings and gave up four runs, one earned, on just one hit.
Josh Robinson secured his league-leading tenth save of the season, tying the G-MAC record for saves in a season. Robinson is also just one save shy of the Findlay school record for saves in a season, a record held by Josh Barney since the 2008 season.
The series will wrap up tomorrow with a double-header beginning at 1:00 pm.