The Northwest Indiana Oilmen rallied to top the Hammond Vikings 10-6 on Friday. The matchup under the Oil City Stadium lights showcased the Oilmen’s grit and determination as they battled through a series of key moments at the plate and in the field.
The Oilmen’s offense demonstrated patience and timely hitting throughout the contest. The ability to draw walks proved to be a significant factor for the Oilmen, as Nate Brumfield, Damon Brena, Ryan Hartz, and Ricky Robinson all earned free passes to first base, putting pressure on the Vikings’ pitching.
The defense held strong against the Vikings. While Hammond had some moments, NWI made the plays when it mattered most. The Vikings recorded several walks, but the pitching staff limited their ability to convert those into runs.
Key Takeaways:
Timely hitting and capitalizing on vulnerable pitchers is what saved the Oilmen today. Down five runs in the 7th, the team rallied to record seven runs in the 7th inning. They also tallied two more in the 8th, carrying the momentum from before.
The use of pitchers was very strategic, as Mike Caston mentioned previously that he wanted to get every player at least an inning of play to “shake the nerves”. The Oilmen pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts on the night. Jackson Montgomery had an all-star level outing, pitching one inning without a hit and three strikeouts.
Midwest Orthopaedics Player of the Game
Mike Fiedor went 1 for 4 at the dish, showing lots of grit. While the numbers may not show it, all of his at-bats helped NWI climb to victory. Head Coach Mike Caston was very pleased with his performance and even asked for him to be awarded Player of the Game.
“I think Mike had a great game. Every at bat that he had, he was battling. Defensively, no errors in the field from him. Overall, I think he played a great game.”
The Oilmen are back in Oil City again on Saturday for Lucky the Unicorn Night, as they rematch the Elkhart County Miracle, a team coming off a big win on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm on Region Sports Network, JEDtv, and the Northwest Indiana Oilmen Facebook page.
