In what can only be described as an electric season opener, the Northwest Indiana Oilmen dominated the Elkhart County Miracle 10-3 at Oil City Stadium on Thursday. The Oilmen got the bats hot right out of the gate, which led to easy insurance runs later from momentum later in the game.
The Oilmen’s bats came alive at key moments, with notable contributions from several players. Nick Upperman was a force at the plate, getting hit by a pitch, smashing a double, and also reaching base on an error. Luis Termero contributed with a crucial sacrifice fly, driving in a run. Ryan Groberski also showcased his ability to get on base, being hit by a pitch, and reaching on a fielder’s choice. Drew Church was a consistent threat, delivering two singles and also being hit by a pitch. Nate Byrdak demonstrated plate discipline by drawing a walk.
On the defensive side, the Oilmen effectively stifled the Miracle’s offense, turning numerous groundouts and flyouts. Khamaree Thomas was active, contributing to several groundouts and a flyout. Termero also contributed defensively. The pitching staff, working in conjunction with the defense, induced several strikeouts.
Jack Wilson started on the bump for NWI and took the win for the night, pitching four innings and striking out four while only giving up one run. The Oilmen pitchers produced a combined 12 strikeouts, setting the bar high for the rest of the season.
Key takeaways:
The Oilmen utilized a full lineup card of players, playing 16 position players throughout the game and six total pitchers. Head Coach Mike Caston says the reason he played so many players was to “get their feet wet and get the nerves out of their systems.”
The base paths were busy as well, with five stolen bases and four extra base hits, including a triple from Thomas. Caston said it was part of his plan going into the game, but the team didn’t need any extra push to keep their feet moving.
“That’s my philosophy. I like to be aggressive on the base paths. I told the guys yesterday during our workout I’d give them the green light today. Honestly, I didn’t give one sign the entire game. They were just, you know, putting the ball in play and playing their game.”
Max Miller is crowned Thursday’s player of the game, going 2 for 2 at the dish with two RBI and two runs. With a large number of catchers on the Oilmen roster, Miller made sure he stood out as a big-name ballplayer for this club.
The Oilmen play again on Friday at Oil City Stadium under the lights at 6:35 pm. They will face the Hammond Vikings, who have not had a game yet this season. The game can be found on Region Sports Network, JEDtv, and the Oilmen Facebook page.
