The Region's Team Of Northwest Indiana

McNamara, NWI Blast Lexington In Game 1 Victory

Lefty ace Jimmy McNamara (1-0) pitched seven innings and the Oilmen offense pounded out 12 runs on 12 hits on Tuesday night to lead Northwest Indiana to victory over the Lexington Snipes by a final score of 12-3 at Oil City Stadium. NWI took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first round MCL Playoffs series.

 

McNamara was up to his old tricks against the Snipes, as the southpaw needed only 78 pitches to get through his seven frames, 55 of them for strikes. He beat the Snipes for the third time this season, including two victories in the regular year.

 

The offense erupted behind him, plating five runs in the third inning and never looking back. Jack Czeszewski, Leiff Clarkson, Nick Bartolone and Tyler Baar each had two hits to pace NWI, with Baar adding a double and three RBI to lead the way. Nick Saldutti and Chris Marras also doubled off the bench for the Oilmen, who knocked out starter Tyler Sabol (0-1) in the third en route to their fifth playoff win in five tries as a franchise, including last season.

 

The Oilmen scored in six of the eight innings in which they came to bat.

 

Around the MCL

In the other MCL Playoff series, the Southland Vikings beat the DuPage County Hounds 1-0 on the road thanks to an RBI double in the third by Micah Rooke to take a 1-0 series lead.

 

Aaron Hauge (1-0) pitched eight innings and gave up just three hits while fanning 12 to get the win. Brett Maus (0-1) took a hard-luck loss, striking out eight while going the distance for DuPage.