Home Runs Not Enough in Shootout
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team dropped a non-conference game to Notre Dame (OH) on Wednesday, April 6 by a 16-5 final. With the loss, the Oilers fall to 8-13 on the season and are now on a five game skid.
The Orange and Black sent nine pitchers to toe the rubber but no matter the pitcher, the Falcons were able to respond as they put up season-highs with 16 runs and 18 hits.
Findlay fell behind early as the first batter of the game hit a full-count fastball over the wall in straight away center field to give the Blue and Gold a 1-0 lead. Single runs in the second and third would extend that lead to 3-0.
The Oilers cut that lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when sophomore Cameron Johnson was hit by a pitch and scored when sophomore Josh Schwerer blasted his first home run of the season, a two-run home run over the wall in left center field.
Another run for Notre Dame in the fourth added to the lead, but in the sixth inning, the game was broken open as the Falcons pushed five runs across to make the lead 9-2.
A single run in the seventh for Findlay cut the deficit to 10-3, but a grand slam by Notre Dame in the eighth powered a six-run inning and put the game out of reach.
Freshman Alex Harter, making his first collegiate start, took the loss on the hill as he pitched 2.1 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked two.
A stiff wind blew to center field the whole game and proved to play aid as there were five home runs hit between the two teams (three by Notre Dame, two by Findlay).
The Oilers' offense was led by Schwerer who picked up two hits, including a home run, had two RBI and scored a run.
Johnson, senior Jordan Garcia, and sophomore Pete Burkett each picked up a pair of hits in the game while sophomore Christion Smith hit his first career home run, a two-run shot in the eighth.
Findlay will be back in action this Saturday and Sunday, April 9-10, when they take on Saginaw Valley State in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) series set to begin at 1:00 pm on Saturday.