McManaway continues to dominate

Oiler softball picks up three more wins

By Kevin Schrock
@KRock_6

Just a week after picking up national pitching awards including pitcher of the week from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, and Hero of the week in division two softball from Hero Sports, the sophomore continued her dominance by picking up another win and a save to bring her to 12-2 on the year. The Oilers improved their record to 22-10 overall and 8-2 in the conference.

On Saturday the Oilers traveled to Canton to take on the Malone Pioneers. Hailey Brian took the mound for game one and threw five and two-third innings allowing six runs before McManaway came in to close the game out, throwing the final one and a third without allowing a base runner.

The Oilers used only six hits, to push 10 runs across the plate and claim the 10-6 victory. Kelsey Borders led the charge offensively with two hits and four runs batted in.

With McManaway on the mound to start game two, the Oilers liked their chances. She struck out nine in her five innings of scoreless work, and left with a 2-0 lead entering the seventh inning. However, in the seventh inning the Pioneers combined for three runs to take a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning putting the Oilers on the ropes.

After a strikeout started the bottom half of the frame for Findlay, Katie Dunphy reached via error, setting the stage for Lauren Trumpler. Trumpler connected, sending one over the left center field fence for a walk off home run.

“We pick each other up even if we have a rough game ourselves,” said McManaway of the Oiler team. “We’re now starting to play like a team rather than individuals and that makes or breaks teams.”

Trumpler had been hitless in five at bats up to that point in the series but ended up having the biggest swing of the weekend for Findlay.

The Oilers headed just up the road to North Canton on Sunday for a matchup with Walsh University in the blistering cold. The teams were forced to play in the cold for 12 innings in game one as no one could break the tie.

Brian started the game on the mound for Findlay and only allowed one unearned run in five and a third innings before giving way to McManaway.

The Oilers finally managed to break a 1-1 tie in the tenth on a Trumpler single, but the Cavaliers scored about the only way you can against McManaway, a squeeze bunt.

In the twelfth the Oilers removed all doubt by scoring four runs en route to a 6-3 win.

In their last game of the weekend the Oilers might have run out of gas. The Cavaliers handed them their first loss of the weekend in a shutout effort. The Oilers lost in five innings 12-0 to the Cavaliers.

Findlay will next be in action tomorrow as they take on Grand Valley State University at GVSU at 1 and 3 p.m.