Findlay, Ohio - The University of Findlay softball team lost both games of a doubleheader on Monday, March 25 at the hands of the Hillsdale College Chargers in a rematch of last season's Great Midwest Athletic Conferece (G-MAC) Championship. The opener ended 3-2 in favor of the visiting Chargers while the second game was a run-rule, 11-0 loss. With the pair of defeats the Oilers fall to 14-14 overall with a 1-5 record in the G-MAC while Hillsdale improves to 18-8 overall and 4-0 in the G-MAC.

The last time these two teams met was May 6 of last year in the G-MAC Championship with the Oilers winning 3-2 to force the if-necessary game which Hillsdale won, claiming the conference crown. Findlay has dropped six of its' previous seven games against the Chargers who, in the past decade, had a 12-9 record against the Orange and Black.

Game 1 (L 3-2)
Facing last year's G-MAC Pitcher of the Year and all-American Joni Russell in the opener, Findlay knew runs would be hard to come by in the opener. However, they proved up to the challenge.

Sophomore Kayla Dykin went toe-to-toe with Russell as hits were hard to come by for both teams early on. Findlay's first knock came in the bottom of the third, a lead off single by junior Lainey Bingham. She would be stranded, however, keeping the score knotted at 0-0 through three.

Hillsdale finally got on the board in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to take a commanding 3-0 lead. But the Oilers did not go down quietly. In the bottom of the sixth, senior Kaitlynn Briggs singled with one out, scoring junior Alissa Davis who reached on a fielder's choice. The next batter, sophomore Alexys Antal, singled to drive in another run, making the score 3-2, but Antal was then thrown out trying to steal second, ending the inning.

Findlay would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to end the contest.

In the game, the Oilers scored two runs on five hits and made four errors while Hillsdale scored three runs on four hits and made two errors.

Dykin suffered the loss in the circle to fall to 2-5 on the year. She threw a complete game and allowed just three runs, none of which were earned, on four hits. She struck out four of the 30 batters she faced.

Game 2 (L 11-0 - 5 inn.)
The nightcap did not go well for the home team as the Chargers scored three in the third and piled on eight runs in the fifth. In the game-changing top of the fifth, Hillsdale scored their eight runs on eight hits and took advantage of one Findlay error.

For the Oilers, three hits would not be enough as the visiting team came away with a run-rule victory in five innings.

In the finale, Findlay had no runs on three hits and made two errors while Hillsdale had 11 runs on 13 hits and an error. 

Senior Molly Pfiffner took the loss, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits. She walked two and struck out two.

For the day, Shepherd and Antal led the offense with two hits apiece.

The Oilers are back in action on Friday, March 29 with a doubleheader at G-MAC newcomer Thomas More. Those games will begin at 1:00 pm.