Findlay Splits Series with Trevecca in Nashville
Nashville, Tenn. – The University of Findlay baseball team split with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) South Division leader on Sunday, April 23 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Oilers won the first game by a score of 2-1 before falling 12-11 in the nightcap. The series split gives Findlay a 21-20 record on the year with a 12-12 mark in G-MAC play while the Trojans move to 23-17 overall and 16-8 in the conference.
In what would prove to be a pitcher's dual, the first big blow of the game came in the second inning when senior Trey Bame launched the first home run of his career, giving the Oilers a 1-0 lead.
Trevecca would tie the game in the bottom of the third, but an RBI single by Bame in the fourth put Findlay back in front, 2-1.
Senior pitchers Bailey McCord and Gavin Bailey combined to finish the game and worked out of some tight spots to hang on to the one-run advantage. TNU loaded the bases in the fifth, but McCord coaxed a pop-up to end the threat. Gavin Bailey took the final two innings and, in the sixth, was the beneficiary of a 6-4-3 double play to end a promising inning for the Trojans. He then closed the door in the seventh to pick up his fourth save of the season.
McCord picked up the win by throwing five innings and allowing just one run on six hits. He walked five and struck out three.
Game 2 quickly went in favor of the home team as TNU, trailing 1-0 in the third, scored one in the third, three in the fourth, three in the fifth, and three in the sixth to take command of the contest.
Fast forward to the top of the ninth where the Oilers trailed 11-5, just three outs away from the end of the game. After a groundout to start the inning, freshman Casey Maruniak was hit by a pitch and senior Nate Brooks singled. Bame then singled to score Maruniak for the first run of the inning. Senior Christian Orr walked to load the bases and another walk to junior Andrew Micale forced in the second run of the inning. A double by senior Aiden Lao scored two and a fielding error by the TNU shortstop allowed another run, making the score 11-10. Senior Cam Farrar would tie the game at 11-11 with a single through the left side, sending the Oilers dugout into a frenzy.
However, it was the Trojans who got the last word when a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position. A single allowed that run to score, giving TNU a walkoff victory.
Senior Logan Bragg started on the mound and threw 4.1 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits. He walked on and struck out two. Freshman Carson Mellott suffered the loss as he threw the final three innings of the game and allowed a pair of runs.
Bame was the big contributor on offense as he would go 4-for-7 on the day. He had two singles, a triple, and a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored to turn in his best offensive performance of his career.
Freshman Keelan Daniel, Maruniak, and Farrar all had three hits including a double on the day. Maruniak scored three runs.
Findlay is set to play host to the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers on Saturday and Sunday, April 29-30.