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Oilmen and Hounds Split Double Header

07/18/2013 10:30 PM -

Whiting, Ind. – July 18, 2013 – The Northwest Indiana Oilmen scored four times in the first inning to roll DuPage County 6-3 in game one of Thursday’s double header, before dropping the nightcap 7-1 at Oil City Stadium.

Nick Saldutti cracked a run scoring double to cap the four-run first inning outburst in the first game of the twin bill.  The Oilmen added a run in the second when Leiff Clarkson bounced into a run-scoring fielder’s choice and one more in the fourth as Rashawn Tillman singled, swiped two bases and trotted home on a wild pitch. 

“We just had a couple of guys that had better days,” Oilmen manager Justin Huisman said.  “Tillman did a better job of hitting some line drives and getting on base.  We’re dangerous when the top of the lineup gets on base.  The big thing is that we got some hits with runners in scoring position; we haven’t been doing that lately.”

Brett Schneider worked six and one-third effective innings before giving way to Matt Pobereyko, who latched down the save by recording the final two outs. 

Clarkson, who saw his 12 game hitting streak come to an end in the first game, bounced back with two hits in the nightcap.  The Oilmen fell behind early when starter Danny Pobereyko surrendered four runs in the second inning and could not muster up enough offense to mount a comeback. 

Northwest Indiana scratched out its lone run in the second as Chris Marras walked before crossing the dish on a Ty Hogan single.  The Hounds tacked on two in the fourth inning and one more in the seventh en route to the 7-1 triumph.

“I think when you’re a team that has aspirations of winning the whole thing, you’re never happy with a split,” Huisman said.  “Obviously, they’re in first place right above us.  With losing [to Chicago] yesterday, we kind of needed to win both these games to put some pressure on them.  We’ve still got 10 games left, so anything can happen.”

The Oilmen are now 15-11 in MCL play as the Hounds maintained a 3.5 game lead over third place NWI.  The Oilmen collide with the Chicago Zephyrs on Friday at 5 p.m. at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Ill.