Findlay Splits Pair of One-Run Games | Kwiatkowski Collects 8 Hits
North Canton, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team hit the road to take on the Walsh Cavaliers on the first day of spring, Saturday, March 20. The bats came alive for the Oilers who won the opener by a score of 15-14 but then lost the nightcap in walkoff fashion by a score of 7-6. With the split, Findlay is now 5-8 on the year and 3-3 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play while Walsh, who was picked second in the G-MAC Preseason Poll, is now 6-3 overall and 4-2 in league play.
It was an offensive explosion for the Oilers in the opening game of the series as Findlay would plate a season-high 15 runs on 18 hits to defeat Walsh. The game was not without drama, however, as the Cavs made it close late and threatened to make and impossible comeback, possible.
Findlay jumped ahead with a single run in the first and added three more runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
The game seemingly got out of hand in the fourth inning. The Oilers' first two batters were retired via the strikeout, but then the offense clicked. The next eight batters reached base and all eight crossed home plate to extend Findlay's lead to 12-0. That inning got started with a double by sophomore Cole Kwiatkowski who scored on a single by senior Casey Gould. After a single by senior Ethan St. Clair, senior Austin Rawlins unloaded on a ball to right field for his first home run of the season.
After a pitching change, sophomore Nolan O'Connell reached on an infield single and senior Ryan Johnson and junior Christian Orr each walked to load the bases. Senior Ryan O'Malley stepped up an hit his first home run of the season to left field, a grand slam that made it an eight-run inning for the Oilers.
Then Walsh began to chip away, finally scoring off Findlay starting pitcher Anthony Kyle in the fourth and sixth innings to cut the lead to 12-2.
After two more runs in the top of the seventh for Findlay, Walsh finally knocked out Kyle in the bottom of the seventh as they scored three runs in that frame and one more in the eight to trail 14-6. The Oilers added a run in the ninth and took a nine-run lead into the last inning.
Then Walsh got the big inning they needed. That inning began with a walk and a home run. A hit by pitch, a walk, and another hit by pitch loaded the bases. Two more walks sent a pair of runs home and then a grand slam by Walsh's Brenden Spaulding cut a nine-run lead to just one with still only one out on the board. A pop up and hit by pitch forced the Oilers' hand as they brought in their closer, senior Jordan Bekier. Bekier then struck out the only hitter he faced to earn the save and secure the win.
In the game, Findlay's leadoff man, Cole Kwiatkowski, had a career-day. The sophomore was a perfect 6-for-6 with three doubles and five runs scored. Both of those marks tied single-game conference records.
Senior Austin Rawlins had a huge game, as well, going 4-for-6 at the plate with a grand slam, five RBI, and a run scored. Fellow senior Casey Gould finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored while Ryan O'Malley had one hit, a grand slam, for four RBI.
Findlay finished with 15 runs on 18 hits, both season-highs, while making just one error. Walsh scored 14 runs on 11 hits and did not commit an error.
Anthony Kyle tossed 6.2 innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out six. Freshman Jaden Bloomer came out of the bullpen and got the win as he threw 1.1 innings and gave up five earned runs on two hits. He walked three.
Walsh did not waste time scoring in the nightcap as they put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning and added one more in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead through four innings.
Findlay scored a solo run in the fifth on a double by Ethan St. Clair, but Walsh answered with two in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 6-2 lead through five innings of a seven-inning contest.
Just as Walsh did in the opener, the Oilers did not go quietly.
In the sixth, Findlay started the inning with a walk, hit by pitch, and infield single to load the bases. After a strikeout, a groundout by junior Brandon Emery sent one run home. That was followed by an infield single by Kwiatkowski, his eighth hit of the day, to score the second run of the inning. A pop out ended the threat with Findlay down two runs.
The Oilers used three straight walks to load the bases to start the seventh inning. A single by senior Tyler Archambeau plated one run and a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Nate Brooks tied the game at six. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning with runners left on the corners.
Walsh started their half of the inning with a single, sac bunt, and a walk. A fly out to right field put runners on the corners with two outs for the Cavaliers' hitter Andrew Czech, one of the top hitters in the conference and a multiple-time all-league performer. Czech was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. Walsh's Brendan Spaulding fouled off four pitches to earn a walk, sending the winning run home in walk off fashion.
Findlay finished with six runs on nine hits and did not make an error while Walsh had seven runs on 12 hits and made two errors.
Kwiatkowski had two hits and an RBI for Findlay while St. Clair had one hit, a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
Junior Ryan Mohr started on the hill for Findlay and threw five innings allowing six runs on 11 hits. He walked four and struck out four.
Findlay and Walsh will conclude their series with a doubleheader tomorrow, Sunday, March 21. Those games will begin at 1:00 pm EST.