FINDLAY, Ohio -- The Lake Erie softball team traveled to Findlay, Ohio today for another Great Midwest doubleheader. The Storm bounced back nicely from their loss to Hillsdale and competed strongly with an impressive Oilers team but dropped both games in the series.


GAME 1

LAKE ERIE - 5
FINDLAY - 6

The Storm would begin the doubleheader by facing off against the Oilers' lefty ace and 2024 First Team All-Region selection, Alexys Antal.

Despite the Oilers striking first with two runs in the bottom of the first, the Lake Erie offense tied the game up in the third. The first run crossed after a single by CJ Garcia to short and an error by the Oilers first baseman. Garcia would later cross the plate as the tying run after a wild pitch by Antal.

It didn't take Findlay long to regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning but Storm starting pitcher Addison Nugent held them to just one.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Oilers finally broke out, scoring three in the inning and taking a 6-2 lead with time winding down in the game.

After Nugent recorded the final out, the Storm offense began the top of the sixth with patient at bats and timely hitting. Lily Turkwoski kicked things off with a walk and was pinch ran for by Brynn Gillen who advanced on a single down the left field line by Peyton Powers. Emma Spahr drove in Gillen with a single to centerfield and Kai Mortensen walked to load the bases for Sydney Taylor. Taylor would reach first on a fielder's choice but Spahr and Madi Eckert took advantage of an error by the Oilers' second baseman, putting them within just one of tying the game.

Unfortunately, that was all the scoring the Storm would do in the game as they fell 6-5. 

In the circle, Nugent turned in one of her more efficient outings of the season and showed a lot of resilience. She finished the game by pitching six innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out three batters while walking none.

The Storm offense tallied six hits which were accounted for by Garcia, Turkowski, Powers, Spahr, Taylor, and Maddie Pawlak.


GAME 2

LAKE ERIE - 3
FINDLAY - 6


It was another close one in Findlay, with the Storm continuing to show resilience and fight in the face of the Oilers.

Findlay started off game two in the same fashion as game one, with a two-run first inning. 

The Storm scratched one run out in the top the second after a walk by Jasmine Gonzales, fielder's choice by Kai Mortensen followed by a stolen base, and an RBI double by Maddie Pawlak.

With a run finally on the board, the Storm pitching gave up one more run in the bottom of the second before both teams went three-straight scoreless innings.

In the top of the sixth, the Lake Erie offense tied up the game with a costly error by the Oilers' second baseman, scoring both Tarryn Morris and Brynn Gillen.

But just like in the second inning, the Oilers responded. They put up three runs in the bottom half and that would be all they needed as Lake Erie fell in game two, 6-3.


Looking Ahead

The Storm will be back in action on Monday, April 14th at home for a double header against the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets with the games scheduled to start at 3 p.m.