Mooresville, Ind. (Mooresville High School) – The University of Findlay softball team was on the road on Sunday, Feb. 23, taking on the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds, ranked no. 15 in the country. The Oilers picked up a win in the opener, 4-2, before dropping the nightcap 13-5. With the split, Findlay is now 3-1 on the year while UIndy moves to 6-4.
The last time these two programs met on the softball field came in the 2022 NCAA DII Midwest Regional, a game the Oilers won 5-3, knocking the host school out of the tournament and sending UF to the regional final. However, in the all-time series, it is Indianapolis that held a 10-2 record prior to Sunday's doubleheader.
Game 1 (W 4-2)
Findlay's hot bats and superb pitching gave them a season-opening sweep of Grand Valley State nearly two weeks ago, and that continued on Sunday against UIndy in the opener.
In the top of the first inning, junior Annika Bredel, the second batter of the game, launched her first home run of the year deep over the fence in right field, an opposite field blast that put the Oilers in front 1-0.
Two innings later, Bredel singled to center with one out, stole second, and came around to score on a single by freshman Meghan Heinsman.
Indy managed just two hits over the next three innings, but with UF stranding two runners in the fourth and one in the fifth, the score remained 2-0.
Junior Aurora Lescody singled with one out in the top of the sixth and scored on a double by junior Kora Navarro. Back-to-back outs ended the threat.
The Greyhounds finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out run, but junior Alexys Antal, who was pitching for the Oilers, got her team out of the inning with no more damage.
Antal then helped her own cause in the seventh with a two-out single that scored Bredel. UF would leave the bases loaded in that frame, leaving the door open for UIndy.
A pair of doubles made the score 4-2, but Antal coaxed a groundout to first to end the game, giving the Oilers a win over a top-15 team for the first time since that 2022 win against Indianapolis.
Game 2 (L 13-5 – 5 inn.)
The nightcap was not as kind to the Oilers which suffered their first loss of the season.
UIndy jumped on top with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning, but in the top of the second, Findlay responded.
Navarro singled to start the inning and, after a fly out, was followed by a single from sophomore Makayla Cook. A triple by junior Keeley Murray scored both runners, and a sacrifice squeeze by junior Jenna Poulson put UF in front 3-2.
The bottom of the third is where the game changed as Indy finally flexed its' muscle, scoring five runs in the frame to take a 7-3 advantage. After a 1-2-3 fourth for UF, three more runs came for the Greyhounds and in the blink of an eye, the Oilers were staring down a seven-run deficit.
A two-run double by Navarro in the fifth cut the Indy lead to five, but a three-run fifth for the home team ended the game with a run-rule, 13-5.
Quick Stats
Alexys Antal pitched a complete game in the opener, throwing seven innings and allowing just two runs on six hits. She walked just one and struck out five.
Senior Emma Jones took the loss in the circle in Game 2, throwing three innings and allowing seven runs on five hits. Sophomore Taylor Morgan completed the game, throwing the final 1.1 innings.
Bredel was the leader offensively on the day, picking up three hits, all of which came in Game 1. She had a home run, one RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Lescody and Navarro each had a trio of hits, as well. Navarro racked up a pair of doubles and had a team-leading three RBI while Lescody led the team with an on-base percentage of .714 thanks to two walks.
Heinsman and Antal each had two hits, including a double, on the day.
Next Time Out
Findlay is back in action tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 24, with a double header against the University of Illinois-Springfield. Those games, played in Westfield, Ind., will begin at noon.
