Findlay Legion splits season opening doubleheader

Findlay's Post 3 American Legion team rebounded from a low-scoring first game with a huge fifth-inning rally in the second and beat Utica Post 92 to split Saturday's season opening doubleheader at Woody Curlis Field.Findlay trailed 3-1 in the second game before batting around in the fifth inning. Tiffin Columbian graduate Gavin McClain and Bluffton's Luke Jebsen led Findlay with two base hits each. Hopewell-Loudon's Caine McDonald doubled and drove in three runs, Findlay's Ben Best singled and knocked in two, and Fostoria's Trenton Smith had an RBI single.Elmwood's Landon Snow earned the win in relief of starter Grady Mason, from Van Buren. Snow allowed one run on four hits over the final three innings.In the opener, Utica pitchers Braylon Bates (5 innings) and Jack Herman limited Findlay to three hits in a 2-1 win.Utica managed just five total hits off Liberty-Benton's Landen Stansbery (4 hits, one run, 9 Ks) and Jarrett Hahn (1 hit, 1 run, 2 Ks), but got a key RBI double from Quentin Felhofer and scored single runs in the second and sixth innings to eke out the win.It will be a diverse Findlay Legion team this season, with players from 11 area schools on the 16-man roster. The roster includes Taleb Al Zakwani and Gavin McClane from Columbian, Seneca East's Caden Fritz, Calvert's Caden Otterbacher, James Patton from Van Buren, Elmwood's Colton Bradford, Liberty-Benton's Trevin Lieb and Carey's Carter BameFindlay will also have a new manager this year, but will be in familiar hands with Jack Burkett taking over as head coach. Burkett has been an assistant baseball coach at Van Buren and Tiffin Columbian, and for the past 13 years has helped Dana Dunbar with the Findlay Legion team.Dunbar, who compiled over 600 wins as Findlay Legion coach, stepped down following the 2023 season, his 28th as the Post 3 coach. SATURDAY'S RESULTSGAME 1Utica 010 001 0—2 5 1Findlay 001 000 0—1 3 1WP—Herman. LP—Hahn. TOP HITTERS: (Uti) Felhofer 1B, 2B, RBI. (Fin) Stansbery 2B. GAME 2Utica 201 001 0—4 7 2Findlay 100 070 x—8 8 2WP—L. Snow. LP—Olon. TOP HITTERS: (Uti) Wheeler 1B, 2B; Olon 1B, 2 RBI; Felhofer 1B, RBI; Edwards 2-1B, RBI. (Fin) McClain 2-1B; Jebsen 2-1B; McDonald, 2B, 3 RBI; Best 1B, 2 RBI;Smith 1B, RBI. (14-sub head)Julie Cole ClassicLocal and area golfers will be teeing it up for a good cause today when the 35th annual Julie Cole Charity Golf Classic is again held at the Findlay Country Club.A two-sport scholarship athlete (basketball, golf) out of Findlay High played both at Ohio University. She played the amateur circuit on a national level until 1979, then joined the LPGA Tour.Determined to give back to her roots, Cole collaborated with local groups and organization to create the event that has raised over $3 million dollars for non-profits and charities.