PAINESVILLE, Ohio- The Lake Erie College baseball team concluded the opening series at home with the University of Findlay on Monday (March 27) afternoon.

The Oilers swept the doubleheader with an 8-3 win in game one and a 7-6 win in the second game.

GAME ONE

Lake Erie scored first in the first inning with a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Nigel Williams (Cincinnati, Ohio / La Salle).

The Storm added two more runs in the third inning. Nathan Erzen (Brookpark, Ohio / Berea-Midpark) was hit by a pitch and Caleb Waller (Vermilion, Ohio / Vermilion) followed with a single. Following a strikeout and a groundout, Williams singled home both runners with a two-run single, giving the Storm a 3-0 lead.

Findlay scored one run in the fourth and five runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead.

Lake Erie threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Storm loaded the bases with two outs. The bases were left loaded as the Oilers held a three run lead through five innings.

The Oilers added one run in each of the final two innings to win the first game 8-3.

Austin Bovenzi (Fairport, N.Y. / McQuaid Jesuit), Wes Birchmeier (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) and Williams all had two hits each in the game.

GAME TWO

Findlay jumped out to a 4-0 lead with four runs in the third inning.

Lake Erie got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rees Rua (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele) laced a two-out double into the right field corner. Rua moved over to third base on a single by Zavin Orr (Cambridge, Ohio / Cambridge). Jacob Armstrong (Clarkston, Mich. / Clarkston) singled home Rua with a bouncer up the middle.

The Storm took a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh with a five-run inning. Bovenzi opened the frame with a walk and advanced to third on a double by Waller. Birchmeier plated one run with a RBI double. Sam Browning (Cincinnati, Ohio / Archbishop McNicholas), Rua and Williams followed with three straight RBI singles. Williams crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Findlay scored three runs in the top of the ninth, taking a 7-6 lead over the Storm.

Lake Erie had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth but the Oilers took the nightcap 7-6.

Browning had three hits in the nightcap. Rua, Waller and Birchmeier each had two hits as the Storm had 15 hits for the second game.

The Storm will be back in action on Saturday (April 1) as they host Saginaw Valley State.