Findlay Falters vs Undefeated Panthers
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team wrapped up their series with the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers on Monday, April 12 at The Cube. The Oilers lost the day's opener by a score of 12-4 and then dropped the series finale 19-8, completing the series sweep for the Panthers. With the losses, the Oilers, which were outscored 67-24 in the four-game set, fall to 9-14 on the year with a 7-9 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play while Kentucky Wesleyan improves to 15-4 overall and a perfect 12-0 in the conference.
In the opener, Kentucky Wesleyan scored four runs in the second inning to take the lead and never looked back. A single run in the fourth cut the deficit to three, but two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth blew the game open. Of the 12 runs scored, only six were earned as Findlay committed a season-high, five errors.
Sophomore Chase Hopewell took the loss on the hill and falls to 0-3 on the year after throwing three innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits. He walked five and struck out three.
In the second game, the Oilers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, their first lead since the fifth inning of game one. KWC came back with two runs in the second and one more in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, senior Ethan St. Clair drew a leadoff walk, but a fielder's choice by senior Austin Rawlins and a pop out left Rawlins standing on first with two outs. Sophomore Nate Brooks walked and was followed by a double from sophomore Cole Kwiatkowski, scoring Rawlins. The next batter, sophomore Cam Farrar, singled home a pair of runs to give the Oilers a 4-3 lead and then junior Brandon Emery ripped a single to right field which eventually sent Farrar home on an error.
Findlay's 5-3 lead did not last long as the Panthers as a two-run homerun tied the game and five more runs after that put the visiting team comfortably ahead yet again.
Sophomore Tyler Trammel took the loss as he threw 4.1 innings and allowed 10 runs, seven earned, on eight hits. He walked five and struck out two.
Austin Rawlins finished the day with three hits, a run scored, two RBI, and two walks while senior Casey Gould also had three hits and led the team with three runs scored.
Findlay will be on the road for their next series as they head to Cedarville on Friday and Saturday, April 16-17.
