Oilers Pick Up Two on Day 3 in Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven, FL - The University of Findlay softball team played two more games on Wednesday, March 4 in Winter Haven, FL versus Saint Rose and Wheeling Jesuit. In game one, the Oilers came out on top versus Saint Rose by a score of 6-3, but fell on the short end of the stick when they were defeated by Wheeling Jesuit.
Game 1 (W 6-2 versus Saint Rose)
In their last game versus Clarion, the Oilers compiled six homeruns by five different players and looked to continue their offensive performances. However, Saint Rose took a page out of the Oilers' book and took the early lead with a first inning homerun. After a 1,2,3 out bottom half of the first, the Oilers looked to get the second inning rolling to tie things up. After a walk to Lyndsey Seamon, Sadie Gearhart singled to put two runners on for the Oilers, and a walk drawn by Madelyn Turner loaded the bases to put a serious threat to score big in the second inning.
Devyn Zuro drove in Molly Pfiffner on a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-1. Still the Oilers had two runners on second and third base. With Savannah Harvey up, a wild pitch scooted by the Saint Rose catcher allowing Sadie Gearhart to score on the pass ball. The Oilers were unable to get anymore, but entered the third up 2-1.
It was a back and forth battle during the third as Saint Rose tacked on two more runs to take the lead in the top of the third on two hits in the inning d. The Oilers got out of the inning down 3-2 and immediately got a spark from Rebecca Harvey starting the innning with a double.
Caroline was up next and hit a line drive shot to right field where the Saint Rose fielder made a play, leading to R. Harvey being called out trying to tag up. The Oilers light looked to quickly dim from the loss of momentum, but Megan Fisher and Seamon had other ideas.
Fisher started by hitting a two out homerun to tie the game 3-3. Seamon then came up next and did the same thing, hitting another homerun for the Oilers completing the back to back homeruns to take the one run lead.
From there, the Oilers were able to hold strong and not allow Saint Rose to get anymore runs in the game. With great defense, the Oilers also took advantage of a few costly errors in the sixth by the Golden Knights and a big pinch hit single by Rachel Vander Roest to score both Zuro and Seamon. The Oilers would close out the contest on top 6-3.
On offense, the Oilers were led by Seamon and Fisher who each had one hit, an RBI. Vander Roest came up big in the sixth to push the lead from one to three with her at bat in the sixth to go 1-1 with two RBIs.
In the circle, Fisher won her fourth game of the season tossing a complete game striking out six, allowing five hits, and two earned runs.
Game 2 (W 6-2 versus Wheeling Jesuit)
The Oilers tacked on two runs early after taking advantage of some Wheeling Jesuit defensive mishaps. R. Harvey led off with a single through the left side and after Seamon reached after an error by third base, the two advanced to second and third to give Madelyn Turner an opportunity to drive them in. Turner grounded out to the shortstop but R. Harvey was able to score. Bailey Bates then singled to center field and drove in Seamon. Gearhart added a bunt single, but the Oilers ended the innings with a 2-0 lead.
The fourth inning saw Wheeling tie things up after Caragyn Yanek gave up two walks to start the innning and then Ledbetter doubled to right center to tie the game 2-2.
The game remained tied through the next two innings, but the bats came alive in the last inning for the Oilers. Right away C. Turner singled up the middle to bring up pinch hitter Seamon who reached on a fielder's choice. Alyssa Harris singled to left field and with runners on second and third, Bates hit a single to extend the lead 4-2.
Gearhart got her second hit of the game to left field bringing up Zuro. After reaching first on a field error, the Oilers scooted around the bases to score two more runs and push their lead to 6-2 in the final inning on four hits. The Oilers got a one,two, three final inning
Offensively, the Oilers had three players with two hit games including Bates, Gearhart, and Turner. Bates and Gearhart each had a pair of RBIs. In the circle, Yanek tossed a complete game for the Oilers to get her fourth win. She had two strikeouts, allowed two runs on four hits, and walked four.
The Oilers will have a day break before taking on West Virgina Wesleyan and Glenville State on Friday March 6 at 12:15 and 2:45 p.m.