Oilers Prevail in Dramatic Fashion to Pick Up Two Wins

Winter Haven, FL - The University of Findlay softball team took the diamond twice more on Friday, March 6 versus West Virginia (VA) Wesleyan and Glenville State in Winter Haven, Florida with the games ending in excitiement. In game one versus West Va. Wesleyan the Oilers prevailed in an extra innings thriller that extended to eight innings. The Oilers won 4-3. In game two, the Oilers won 3-0 over Pioneers of Glenville St.

Game 1 (W 4-3 (8 innings) vs. West Va. Wesleyan)

Both teams started out slow through the first two innings with only one hit by the Oilers' Sadie Gearhart in the second inning. However, Rebecca Harvey took matters into her own hands with one swing of the bat to put the Oilers up 1-0 with her solo homerun. 

The next three innings once again did not see change in the scoreboard other than a few scattered hits throughout. In the seventh, West Va. Wesleyan used a three hit, three run inning with a pair of doubles to take the seventh inning lead, 3-1 with the Oilers due up. 

After Devyn Zuro began the inning drawing a walk, Dylan Wiley hit an infield single with one out to put the Oilers in striking distance with R. Harvey up. R. Harvey delivered once more for the Oilers with an RBI double that scored Gloria Corona and moved Wiley over to third. After Caroline Turner flew out, Megan Fisher stepped to the batters box with two down. Fisher cracked a shot to center field for the RBI single to tie the ballgame up to score Wiley. Just as Wiley scored, R. Harvey was sent home to win the game, but was called out at home. After seven innings, the game moved to the international tie breaker rule and extra innings.

With a quick 1,2,3 inning for the Oilers, the Oilers only need one batter to win the game. With Fisher placed on second under the international tie breaker rule, Lyndsey Seamon singled to left field and Fisher safely scored to win in walk-off fashion 4-3 after eight innings.

The Oilers were led on offense by R. Harvey with two hits including a homerun and two RBIs. Fisher and Seamon each had a hit along with an RBI to their name. Bailey Bates, Gearhart, and Wiley had the other three hits for Findlay.

In the circle, Caragyn Yanek tossed 6.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits. Fisher received the win in relief with 1.2 innings of work. She allowed one run on two hits including one strikeout.

Game 2 (W 3-0 vs. Glenville St.)

After a dramatic win in extra innings, the Oilers turned around for their second game of the day versus Glenville St. Right out of the gates, the offense got things rolling to one on the board in the first inning. After an opening walk drawn by R. Harvey, Seamon singled to left field to move R. Harvey into scoring position. Bates drove the pitch to left field, and R. Harvey raced around to score to take the early lead 1-0.

In the third, Lyndsey Seamon kept it up with the hot bat and drove a ptich over the outfield wall for a solo homerun. The Oilers would get another run in the fourth when Allison Brunner scored after a Glenville St. error off the bat of R. Harvey. After four, the Oilers led 3-0.

Although, the offense got out to an early lead over the Pioneers, sophomore pitcher Carly Brandon was the story of the game. 

Making her first start of the season, Brandon took the circle with a dominant performance that consisted of eleven strikeouts. The sophomore from Hebron, Ohio went the complete seven innning game to toss a no-hitter, and just one walk allowed away from a perfect game. Brandon not only captured her first victory of the 2019-2020 season, but becomes the first pitcher in Oilers softball history since March 25, 2016 when Chelsea McManaway tossed a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Northwood.

Offensively, the Oilers combined for five hits in the game. Seamon finished with two hits including a homerun and Bates with two hits of her own with two singles. Wiley tallied the other hit with a single in the fourth.

Findlay will play their final two games in Florida on Saturday, March 7 versus Missouri St. Louis and Slippery Rock at 9:15 am and 11:30 am.