Findlay Survives Late Surge by KWC | Earns Doubleheader Sweep
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay softball team had just the right amount of offense necessary to earn a Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) doubleheader sweep of Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, April 10. The Oilers won the morning contest by a score of 2-0 and hung on to win the afternoon game by a score of 6-5. With the two wins Findlay improves to 16-13 on the season with a 7-5 mark in conference play while the Panthers drop to 7-14 overall and 3-5 in the G-MAC.
The Oilers jumped on top in Game 1, which started at 10:00 am on Saturday. Findlay's leadoff hitter, freshman shortstop Avery Shepherd, walked and stole second. She came around to score on a single by junior Lyndsey Seamon.
Findlay's next run came in the third inning after senior Dylan Wiley singled with one out and stole second. Senior Devyn Zuro walked and both advanced when Wiley then stole third. A fielders choice to senior Savannah Harvey loaded the bases and freshman Emma Bode walked to pick up the RBI and put the Oilers ahead 2-0.
That was more than enough as senior Megan Fisher was pitching well, not allowing a Panthers runner to reach third base all game. Fisher earned the win as she threw a complete game without allowing a walk. She scattered five hits and struck out a career-high 12 batters in the game to pick up her sixth win of the year.
In the second contest, both teams had improved offenses and the Oilers built a substantial lead which quickly disappeared late in the contest.
Findlay was in control of the second game, scoring two runs in the second, two runs in the third, and two more in the fourth. The runs in the second came on a single by Wiley and fielding error off the bat of Seamon.
In the third, a two-run triple by Dylan Wiley was the big blow, sending senior Jordyn Poulson and Megan Fisher across the plate. After a single run in the fourth by KWC, Findlay scored on a wild pitch and a single by Megan Fisher.
Leading 6-1 in in the seventh, the Oilers looked like they would cruise to the finish line and earn the sweep, but the eventual victory was far from easy.
With one out, KWC got a single and a double to put runners on second and third, but the next batter was retired to give the Panthers just one out left, trailing by six. A walk loaded the bases and then a single sent two runners home to make the score 6-3. Another walk was followed by a single sending two more runners home and pulling Kentucky Wesleyan within one. The final out was a dramatic one as, with runners on first and second, Grace Scott ripped a ball to the right side that looked as though it would be for extra bases and potentially tie the game or even give KWC the lead, but Findlay first baseman Kyla Snow made a leaping grab as the ball settled into her outstretched glove, ending the game.
Caragyn Yanek picked up the win for Findlay as she threw four innings and allowed just one run on three hits. She did not walk a batter and struck out six.
Findlay had ten hits in the game, as opposed to just three in the opener. Megan Fisher finished the second game with two hits, a run scored, and an RBI while Dylan Wiley also had two hits that included a triple, a run scored, and two RBI. Senior Devyn Zuro had a pair of singles in the game.
Sophomore Olivia Carlton had a double and a run scored while senior Gloria Corona had a hit and a run scored, as well. Freshman Emma Bode picked up a hit and senior Jalin Martson ripped a single through the left side in the sixth inning to pick up her first career hit.
The Oilers are set to be back on the field on Friday, April 16 as they travel to Nashville, Tennessee to take on the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans.