Box Score

Auburndale, Fla. – The University of Findlay baseball team returned to the field after an off day in Florida to take on Grand Valley State on Wednesday, March 4. The Oilers suffered a 12-7 loss to the Lakers to fall to 4-5 on the season while Grand Valley improves to 7-2.

Freshman Christian Orr led off the game with a walk and, after a pair of outs, scored on a double off the bat of senior Austin Rawlins. Two walks and two hit by pitches sent two more runs across the dish as Findlay would send nine batters to the plate in the first inning and take a 3-0 lead.

The Lakers answered with a single run in the bottom half of the inning to start a streak of eight unanswered runs through four innings of play. By the time the fifth inning came around, Findlay found themselves trailing 8-3.

Rawlins started the top of the fifth inning off with his second double of the game and was followed by junior Ryan Johnson who tucked a ball inside the line in left field for a double of his own, scoring Rawlins. The next three batters were set down in order to end the frame.

The Lakers found their stride again in the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits to extend their lead to 11-4 with three innings to play.

In the eighth, Findlay made some noise when, after Brandon Emery and Wyatt Young reached base, freshman Christian Orr hit a hanging breaking ball over the wall in left for his first career home run, a three-run blast that made the score 11-7.

Grand Valley added a run in the eighth to secure the five-run victory.

Findlay ended the game with seven runs on eight hits and three errors while Grand Valley State had 12 runs on 16 hits and one error.

Out of the leadoff spot, Orr reached base three times with two hits and a walk. He had a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored.

Rawlins had two hits, both of which were doubles, and Ryan Johnson had two hits as well. Rawlins had two runs and an RBI while Johnson had one run scored and one RBI.

Freshman Tyler Trammel started and took the loss on the hill after throwing three innings and allowing seven runs, two earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three.

The Oilers are back in action on Thursday, March 5 when they take on Minnesota Duluth at Pat Thomas Stadium at 9:00 am.