Standout Pitching Leads Oilers to Sweep of Wayne St.
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay softball team picked up an important midweek doubleheader sweep of Wayne State University on Wednesday, March 31 in Findlay. The Oilers won a close contest in the opener, a 2-1 victory over the Warriors. In the finale, Findlay scored two runs in the fifth inning to take command of the contest, ultimately winning a 4-0 win to earn the sweep. With the two wins, the Oilers improve to 17-9 on the year and will begin conference play this weekend. Wayne State falls to 7-11 with the two losses.
Matched up against a familiar Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foe, the Oilers came ready to play in the opener. The Warriors plated a single run in the top of the first to take the early lead, but Findlay answered.
Junior Bailey Bates and senior Megan Demler each singled with one out to put runners on the corners and, after a pop up, Demler stole second, allowing Bates to come home on the throw, tying the game at 1-1. Kyla Snow then laced a single to left field, sending Demler home and giving the Oilers the one-run lead.
That lead stood up as Demler, who was the starting pitcher for Findlay, threw a gem. The Wapakoneta, Ohio native allowed just two hits in the final six innings of work to seal the victory. The Warriors did load the bases with two outs in the fourth, but Findlay's star pitcher forced a pop-up to end the inning.
By game's end, Demler had tossed a complete game while allowing just one run on four hits. She did allow five walks, but escaped trouble with four strikeouts. The win was the sixth of the year for Findlay's senior.
Findlay finished with two runs on four hits and did not commit an error. Sophomore Avery Shepherd had a double in the contest while Kyla Snow picked up the lone RBI. Bates and Demler each scored a run in the victory.
The Oilers again wasted no time taking the lead in the nightcap. The Warriors stranded two runners to start the game and, on the first pitch of the bottom half of the first, Shepherd launched a ball high over the wall in left field for her seventh home run of the season.
In the second, junior Olivia Carlton led off with a double and scored on a one-out single by sophomore Emma Bode. That run put Findlay ahead 2-0.
With freshman Emma Jones keep Wayne State at bay offensively, the Oilers added the knockout blow in the fifth. Emily Ickes singled to start the inning and was followed by a walk to Shepherd. After a sac bunt and a walk, the bases were loaded for senior Caroline Turner. Turner ripped a ball into the gap in left center, sending two runners home and giving Findlay a four-run cushion.
The Oilers finished the game with four runs on six hits. Shepherd was 2-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored while Turner had one hit, the two RBI double.
Jones was the story in the circle as she threw a complete game, allowing just two hits and no runs. She struck out seven batters and did not allow a walk, throwing just 94 pitches to retire the 26 batters she faced.
The Oilers open up Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play at Walsh on Saturday, April 2 and return home for a twinbill with Ashland on Sunday, April 3.