Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team used a barrage of runs to take down the visiting Lake Erie College Storm in both games of a doubleheader on Friday, May 3. The Oilers and Storm went to 11 innings in the opener, a game that Findlay won in walk off fashion by a score of 11-10. Game 2 then was a 15-3 drubbing for the home team, improving the Oilers record to 26-20 overall and a 20-10 record in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC).
Game 1 (W 11-10 | 11 inn.)
Things did not look favorable for the Oilers early on in the first contest as the Storm opened up a 6-0 lead through five innings of play.
That lead was quickly erased by Findlay in the bottom of the fifth when Findlay managed to plate seven runs of their own to take a lead midway through the contest. That frame featured RBI singles from sophomore Casey Maruniak, freshman Luke Senften, senior Andrew Micale, sophomore Keelan Daniel, and senior Cam Farrar. In the inning, the Oilers scored seven runs on six hits and sent 13 batters to the plate.
After the Storm tied the game in the top of the sixth, Findlay again regained the lead, this time on an RBI double by Senften that scored Maruniak, who led off the inning with a triple.
Lake Erie again answered the call, plating a single run in the eighth to tie the game at 8-8, and that score held up through nine innings, sending the game to extras.
With the international tie breaker in effect, runners began on second base in the tenth and 11th innings. Lake Erie took control in the top of the 11th, scoring two runs on a big two-run triple.
However, Findlay dug deep and got the job done. Freshman Nick Palm was placed on second to begin the inning and, after a walk to senior Aiden Lao, senior Cole Kwiatkowski ripped a single through the left side, loading the bases. Farrar, Findlay's all-time leader in nearly every offensive category, came up in the clutch with a two RBI single to right center, tying the game at ten. After a ground out, Maruniak connected on a ball to deep center field, scoring Kwiatkowski and ending the game.
Senior Sebastian Jones came out of the bullpen and earned the win, throwing five innings, his longest outing of the year. He struck out eight batters, a single-game career-high.
Findlay finished with 19 hits and were led by Kwiatkowski, Farrar, Maruniak, and Micale who all had three knocks on the day. Farrar led the team with four RBI while Maruniak and Senften, who had two hits, had two RBI each.
Game 2 (W 15-3)
The second contest was not nearly as dramatic as the Oilers jumped out to a 7-0 lead through three innings, thanks in large part to a five-run first inning.
Lake Erie plated two in the fourth, but a single run in the fourth, a home run by Maruniak, made the score 8-2 through four frames.
Just as they did in the opener, the bottom of the fifth was kind to the home team as Findlay again scored seven runs in that same inning. Maruniak hit a triple to right center with the bases loaded to deliver the big blow of the inning.
The Oilers would cruise to a 12-run victory over their opponents from Painesville, Ohio.
Sophomore Ethan Mohr got the win on the hill, throwing six innings and allowing just two runs on three hits. He struck out four batters in the game.
Maruniak led the offense, going 2-for-2 with a double and a triple, five RBI, and three runs scored. Daniel also had two hits in the game and tacked on two RBI of his own.
Kwiatkowski tied with Maruniak for a game-high three runs scored.
The Oilers and Storm will each conclude their regular seasons tomorrow with a doubleheader that is set to begin at 11:00 am at The Cube.
