Findlay Wins Series Opener vs Malone
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team was back in action on Friday, March 24 for a home contest against the Malone Pioneers. The game ended in a 6-3 win for the Oilers who improve to 9-9 on the year with a 2-3 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. On the other side, Malone falls to 11-8 overall and 2-3 in league action. Friday was the first of a four-game series between the two teams that will continue on Sunday due to inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday, the originally scheduled date.
It was not the cleanest of games as the teams would combine for eight errors in the contest, five of which were committed by the Oilers.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, freshman Casey Maruniak reached on an error to start the inning and advanced on a walk to senior Nate Brooks. After a double play, senior Kyron Rogers ripped a single to center, tying the game at 1-1.
Findlay's biggest lapse in defense came in the top of the fifth when the Oilers committed four errors which led to two runs for Malone, giving the Pioneers a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Findlay chipped away. Freshman Keelan Daniel hit a one-out double and later scored on a single by senior Cole Kwiatkowski.
After a scoreless sixth, a one out, RBI double by senior Aidan Lao in the seventh tied the game at 3-3 and, two batters later, senior Cam Farrar hit a double to center that scored Lao and Kwiatkowski, making the score 5-3.
Findlay added some cushion in the eighth. Senior Derek Fay pinch hit to start the inning, doubling to right field. A ground out advanced Fay to third and, after a pair of walks, Lao hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 6-3.
Senior Gavin Bailey got the win on the mound as he tossed 2.1 innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out five.
Friday's starter was senior Anthony Kyle, the Oilers' all-time strikeout leader, who would work 6.2 innings, allowing three runs, just one earned, on four hits. He struck out seven.
Kwitkowski had three hits to lead the offense while Lao and Farrar each had a pair of RBI.
The Oilers will be back on the field against Malone on Sunday, March 26 for a double header that will begin at 1:00 pm.