Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay baseball team wrapped up the regular season on Saturday, May 4 with what was supposed to be a double header against the Lake Erie College Storm. After sweeping LEC yesterday by a wide margin, Findlay again brought the bats, defeating the visitors from Painesville, Ohio by a score of 14-4 in Saturday's opener. The second game was halted through three complete innings when a torrential downpour came over the Marathon Diamonds, causing the game to be considered a wash. The score of the game was 7-3 in favor of the Oilers when the rain out occurred. With today's win, Findlay heads into the postseason with a record of 27-20 overall with a 21-10 record in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play, passing last season's mark for the most conference wins in a season in program history.
Lake Erie took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Findlay answered in the bottom half when senior Cam Farrar, playing in what would be his final game at Fifth Third Field, hit an infield single, scoring senior Aiden Lao to tie the game.
In the second inning, senior Andrew Micale singled to lead off the inning and sophomore Keelan Daniel was hit by a pitch. Those two later came around to score on a two-RBI single by Lao. Two more runs scored in the bottom of the third on a single by Daniel that scored sophomore Casey Maruniak and senior Nate Brooks.
The Storm tried to rally in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs to cut the lead to 5-3, but a sac fly by senior Cole Kwiatkowski in the fourth plated another run for Findlay.
Findlay broke the game open in the fifth inning with five runs on five hits. The big blow of the inning came from Lao who ripped a double to right center to make the score 10-4. By the time the dust had settled, the Oilers were firmly in control, holding an 11-4 lead. They would go on the score three in the sixth and ultimately collect a ten-run victory.
Lao was the standout for the Oilers in this game as he continued his hot streak at the plate. Today he went 5-for-5 with three runs scored and six RBI. The senior has hits in 12 of his last 13 games and has picked up 11 hits in his last four games combined. So far this season, Lao has 21 multi-hit games, the most on the team and, in the sixth inning, he collected his 200th career hit, making him the fourth player in program history to reach that mark. He joins Rob Talpas (2001-05), Brian Sampsel (2005-09), and teammate Cam Farrar in the 200-hit club.
Andrew Micale went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and an RBI to help lead the offense while Farrar had two hits, including a double, and two RBI. Farrar's two knocks helped move him up the all-time hit list, as well, as he moves into solo second place, passing Brian Sampsel who had 211 hits from 2005-09. Findlay's senior from Clyde, Ohio is now just six hits behind all-time hits leader Rob Talpas who established the record of 218 back in 2005.
Carson Mellott was the winning pitcher, tossing five innings and allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out four.
With conference play concluded, the Oilers turn their attention to the postseason which will take place in Mason, Ohio at Prasco Park next week. Findlay enters the event as the three seed and will take on the fifth-seeded Ohio Dominican Panthers in the first round. That game will be played on Wednesday, May 8 at noon, the debut game of the 2024 G-MAC Championship Tournament.
