Marauders Walk Off vs Findlay
Auburndale, Fla. – In an up and down game, the University of Findlay baseball team dropped their third game of the season to the University of Mary, 7-6 in 10 innings. The loss to the Marauders of Bismarck, North Dakota drops the Oilers record to 2-3 on the season.
As the game began, it looked as though the Oilers would be locked in another pitchers' dual. The teams traded zeros until the bottom of the third inning when the Marauders took a 1-0 lead and added with another run in the fourth to gain a 2-0 lead.
Findlay had an answer as they tied the game up in the top of the fifth.
Sophomore Cameron Johnson singled with one out, was followed by a Troy Merriman walk, and they both came around to score on a triple by sophomore Josh Schwerer.
The next run came in the bottom of the seventh inning when Mary scored one run.
The Oilers looked to gain control of the game with a four-run inning in the top of the eighth, the most runs the Orange and Black have scored in an inning this year.
Junior Kevin Schrock led off with a walk and, following a strike out, freshman Derrick Herd induced a walk as well. Junior Peter Yorgen singled, scoring Schrock and advancing Herd to third base. Yorgen moved to second on the throw. Sophomore Pete Burkett then singled, scoring Herd and giving the Oilers a 4-3 lead. The lead went to 6-4 after a single from sophomore Christion Smith, scoring Yorgen, and a fielders' choice off the bat of Johnson, scoring Burkett.
That is all the scoring Findlay would get as Mary got two runs in the eighth inning and scored one more in the ninth to tie the game off Oilers' closer, junior AJ Cecil. The game appeared as though it would end after nine innings when the Marauders got a line drive off the bat of Seth Meide with runners on second and third. Oilers' senior Kris Hayward laid out in right field and took a hit away from Meide and kept the Findlay hopes alive as the game headed to extra innings.
Findlay went quietly in their half of the tenth and gave up a run in the bottom half of the inning and Mary celebrated a walk-off victory.
Sophomore Josh Schwerer had two hits, including a triple, and a pair of RBI in the game and Burkett picked up a hit, an RBI, and a run scored.
Cecil took the loss on the mound after pitching two innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits.
Freshman Tyler Kennedy made his first start of his college career and pitched four innings two runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Findlay will be back in action with a double-header vs. Gannon tomorrow, Thursday, March 3 at 11:00am.