Oilers win first G-MAC Tournament title

UF softball AKRON – Ashland tried to deliver a couple of haymakers late in Saturday's game with the University of Findlay softball team.By the time they landed them, though, the battle was already won.Findlay took some wind out of Ashland with two-run rallies in the first, second and third innings, delivered a roundhouse punch of its own with three more runs in the fourth and held on for a history-making 9-5 win over the Eagles in the championship game of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference softball tournament at Firestone Stadium in Akron.In raising its record to a best-ever 39-12, UF captured the program's first-ever GMAC softball championship and the automatic bid to the Midwest Regional that goes with it. The Oilers will find out when, where and who they play next when the NCAA Division II Selection Show is held today at 10 a.m.Joslynne Frazier singled in a run in the first inning, Annika Bredel had an RBI triple in the second and Kayla Dykin a two-run single in the third. Alexys Antal and Anna Jon came through with RBI doubles in the fourth to pump UF's lead up to 9-0.Ashland made things interesting, though.After being held scoreless by Antal through four innings, the Eagles got to the Oilers starter when Amanda Kolar belted a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning and Sophia Martin followed with a two-run blast in the sixth. UF coach Danielle Lowe then called on Kora Navarro and the senior right-hander came through, giving up just one hit in the final two innings to lock it down.Jones, Fazier and Aurora Lescody had two hits each for UF, with Antal, Bredel and Meghan Heinsman all delivering RBI singles. BASEBALL The University of Findlay's baseball team split a pair of games against Northwood Saturday, and finished the regular season as the runner-up in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference North Division. Findlay won the first game 4-2 and lost Game 2 to the Timberwolves, 14-6. Ashland won the regular season title with a league mark of 23-8; Findlay finished 23-9. The Oilers will begin play in the G-MAC Tournament in Mason, starting Wednesday.