Oilers Fail to Sweep but Take Two of Three from SVSU
The University of Findlay baseball team failed to sweep the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals, dropping the third game of the series on Wednesday, April 2, by a final of 6-3. Findlay, who hosted the contest at Fifth Third Field, dropped to 8-13 on the season and 5-6 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play.
Unlike the previous days games, the Cardinals offense came alive as they smacked 15 hits over the nine innings of play. The Oilers, who were playing their sixth game in just four days, needed four pitchers to get through the game.
SVSU started the scoring as they scored in the top of the first, but Findlay answered in the bottom half with a run of their own when Reid Rothenbuhler roped a single to right field that scored Jordan Garcia, who reached on an error.
Inning number two played out in similar fashion as the Cardinals scored a single run in the top half of the frame and Findlay drew even in the bottom thanks to an RBI single from Kevin Schrock, plating Peter Yorgen.
The game was quiet until the top of the fifth inning. On the hill was Jon Walker, who came out of the bullpen in relief of starter Dillon Kliesch. Saginaw Valley State used three hits to put up three runs in the inning and added another in the sixth, making their lead 6-2.
Findlay was forced to play comeback in the bottom of the ninth and began the inning with promise as a walk, single, and walk loaded the bases with no outs. Unfortunately, back-to-back made the comeback unlikely. Joe Sickler did pull a single through the left side of the infield that scored a run but another strikeout ended the game.
Jon Walker took the loss on the hill, pitching two innings of relief and allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out one and walked one.
The Oilers failed to get the big hit when they needed it most as they stranded 11 men on base in the game.
Findlay will be back on the field this weekend, April 5th and 6th as they hit the road to play GLIAC foe, the Cavaliers of Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio in a three-game series that begins Saturday at 1pm.