Offense Struggles in Doubleheader Loss vs SVSU
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay softball team lost a pair of games on Sunday, March 20 at the hands of the Saginaw Valley St. Cardinals. The first contest went to extra innings, but it was the Cardinals who pulled off a 6-2 victory. The second game of the day was a one-sided affair that saw SVSU pick up a 10-1 victory. With the losses, the Oilers fall to 12-8 overall while Saginaw Valley St. improves to 13-7.
Findlay got the day started in a positive way when, after three strikeouts in the top of the first by starting pitcher Megan Demler, sophomore leadoff hitter Avery Shepherd blasted a home run, her fourth of the season, to give the home team a 1-0 advantage.
The Cardinals answered with a run of their own to tie the game in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the inning, Findlay regained control after a leadoff single by Devyn Zuro and an error by SVSU led to a single tally.
Saginaw again answered by tying the game in the sixth, using a pair of singles to pull the game even at 2-2.
Neither team was able to score in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, disaster struck for the Oilers as Saginaw finally strung hits together. The inning began with a leadoff single and, after two outs, another single and a walk loaded the bases. The next Cardinals batter, Meagan VerVaecke, drove a ball over the wall in right center for a grand slam, putting SVSU ahead 6-2.
The Oilers went down in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.
Findlay's starter, Demler, took the loss in the circle. She threw a complete game, totaling eight innings and allowing six runs on ten hits. She walked three and struck out seven. Demler now has 330 career strikeouts which has her alone in second in Findlay softball history. She is 66 shy of all-time leader Chelsea McManaway (2015-16).
Shepherd finished 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. She scored a run and had an RBI.
After a close contest in the opener, the second game of the day went a different direction for the Oilers. Saginaw Valley St. scored two runs in the first, two in the second, and four in the third to blow the game wide open early on. Two more runs put the visitors ahead 10-0 through four innings.
The Oilers lone run came in the fifth on a single by Shepherd, but it was not enough as the game ended early due to run-rule.
Findlay managed just five hits in the second game and were haunted by four errors. The hits came from Shepherd, Demler, Lexie Hilling, Olivia Carlton, and Brooke Radermacher.
Hilling took the loss in the circle, tossing 2.1 innings and allowing eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits. She walked one and did not record a strikeout.
Findlay is back in action tomorrow, March 21 when they will take on the Ferris St. Bulldogs at The Cube. That doubleheader will begin at 2:00 pm.