Findlay Sweeps Bellarmine to Open 2020 Season
Louisville, Ky. – The University of Findlay softball team opened up their 2020 campaign with a pair of wins against future Division I opponent, Bellarmine University, on Sunday, Feb. 16. The Oilers won the opener 5-2 and took the nightcap 7-3 to earn the sweep and begin the year with a 2-0 record. Bellarmine falls to 3-8 to open the season.
Game 1 (W 5-2)
In the season opener, after two scoreless innings to open the season, Findlay got on the board in the third inning when starting pitcher, junior Megan Fisher, roped a double down the right field line to score senior Allison Brunner and senior Rebecca Harvey.
In the top of the fifth inning, Brunner stepped up to the plate with junior Dylan Wiley, who singled with one out, on base. Brunner connected for the first home run of the season, a blast to right center that put the Oilers ahead 4-0.
Bellarmine finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth when a wild pitch sent a run home, but Findlay got that run back in the top of the seventh with an RBI single off the hot bat of Allison Brunner.
In the game, Findlay scored five runs on seven hits and made three errors while Bellarmine scored their two runs on eight hits and did not make an error.
Fisher picked up the win in the circle as she pitched a complete game in her 2020 debut. Fisher scattered eight hits and allowed two runs, neither of which were earned, while striking out two. She also had a good day at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 in the game with a double and a pair of RBI.
Brunner went 2-for-3 in the game with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored while Wiley also had two hits and a run scored.
Game 2 (W 7-2)
The Knights wasted no time in the second game of the day as they scored two runs in the first inning of play in the nightcap.
Findlay failed to get on the board until the fourth inning when a pair of home runs put the visiting Oilers back in the lead. Fisher went deep first, blasting a ball over the fence in left field to tie the game. The next batter was sophomore Lyndsey Seamon who also went deep, giving Findlay a 3-2 lead.
Bellarmine tied the game in the sixth inning with a single run, but in the top of the seventh inning, the Oilers blew the game open. After a groundout to start the inning, senior Rebecca Harvey went deep over the wall in left center to, again, give the Oilers the lead. A walk to Dylan Wiley, a single to Allison Brunner, and a walk to Megan Fisher loaded the bases. Lyndsey Seamon walked to force in a run and, after a pop up, sophomore Caroline Turner smoked a double to left center to plate two runs and cap the four-run inning.
Freshman Molly Pfiffner pitched a perfect seventh inning to seal the win. Pfiffner earned the win out of the bullpen as she tossed three innings and allowed just three hits and one earned run.
Caroline Turner, Fisher, and sophomore Gloria Corona each had two hits in the game. Turner had a pair of RBI while Fisher had two RBI and two runs scored.
Dylan Wiley picked up one hits and had two runs scored.
Findlay will be back on the field next weekend, Feb. 21 and 22, when they will head to Rosemont, Illinois for a four-game set.