Oilers Split in G-MAC Doubleheader versus Cedarville
Findlay, Ohio- The University of Findlay softball team played the visiting Cedarville University to open up their Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) on Saturday, March 27th. The Oilers split in the afternoon doubleheader against the Yellow Jackets. In game one, the Yellow Jackets bested the Oilers 1-0, but in game two, the Oilers used a big two-inning stretch of scoring to win the second game 6-0. By splitting games, the Oilers move to 10-9 (1-1) and the Yellow Jackets move to 12-8 (1-1).
The first game of the doubleheader saw senior Megan Fisher take the circle. In the top of the 3rd inning, the Yellow Jackets quickly put pressure on Fisher and the Oilers' defense as the first three batters reached base. With no outs, the Yellow Jackets had bases loaded. A heads up play from freshman Avery Shephard at shortstop took the ground ball and fired it home for the force out to get the first out of the inning. However, bases were still loaded and the Yellow Jackets were still threatening. The Oilers defense remained strong and got another ground out and a Fisher strikeout to end the threat.
In the top of the sixth, a bang bang play at the plate where the Yellow Jackets runner was called safe due to catcher interferance due to obstructing the runner's path to score. The Yellow Jackets moved into the lead 1-0.
The Oilers were unable to get anything going at the plate as they tallied one hit by junior Kyla Snow with a base hit in the bottom of the fourth.
Fisher went six innings allowing five hits and one run and two walks. She also tallied five strikouts in the loss moving her record to 3-5 on the year.
The second game looked very similar to the first game with a hit a piece for each team. However, the bottom of the 4th innning, the Oilers' offense went on a four hit, four run inning. Starting off the inning was senior Dylan Wiley with a double to left center and then was driven in to by an RBI sacrifice fly by Kyla Snow after tagging up to get the first run on the board.
Freshman Emma Bode then followed up with a double of her own in the next at bat. With junior Jordyn Poulson in as pinch runner, senior Devyn Zuro got one to fall in right field for an RBI single. Sophomore Olivia Carlton added the third double of the inning to drive in Shephard and Zuro to push the lead to 4-0 after four innings.
The momentum on offense for the Oilers continued to stay hot to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Caroline Turner drove in pinch runner junior Brooke Arledge with an RBI single. Poulson then had an RBI single to center field to drive in sophomore Rylee Combs.
The Oilers offense out hit the Yellow Jackets 9 to 2 throughout the game. Carlton and Bode led the attack with a 2 for 2 performance each including a double. Carlton also drove in two runs. Fisher, senior Wiley, C. Turner, Zuro, and Poulson each had a hit as well.
Senior Caragyn Yanek had a great outing in the circle as well as she tossed a complete game shutout in the win. She gave up just two hits, no walks and tallied seven strikeouts. With her victory, she improves to 4-1 on the season.
The Oilers are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 28th for another G-MAC doubleheader against the visiting Ohio Dominican Panthers. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and the second to follow at 3:00 p.m.