05/30/2014 12:11 AM -
TONIGHT'S GAME:
Northwest Indiana Oilmen (1-0)
at Joliet Admirals (0-1)
May 30, 2014 • 5 p.m. (CT) • Joliet, Ill.
Radio: None
Internet: nwioilmen.com
For Starters
The Oilmen picked up their first Opening Day win in franchise history, 2-1 over Lexington on Wednesday night. Trinity Christian’s Zack Jones and Northern Illinois’ Jason Gasser had two hits each, while Jones and Notre Dame’s Kevin DeFilippis drove in the NWI runs. Jimmy McNamara tossed five innings of one-run, three-hit ball but received no decision. Danny Pobereyko picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief. The Admirals opened up the season against the defending Midwest Collegiate League champion Southland Vikings on Thursday. Joliet jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Southland rallied for a 6-2 victory.
Inside the Oilmen
On Friday, the Oilmen venture away from Oil City Stadium for the first time in 2014. NWI holds an all-time away record of 21-16. The Oilmen are playing at Joliet Junior College for the first time since June 30, 2012, a 6-5 12-inning loss to the now defunct Illinois Lincolns. The Oilmen have an all-time record of 1-3 at Joliet Junior College, with all four of those games coming against the Lincolns in 2012.
Inside the Admirals
This franchise is playing its first season as the Joliet Admirals after four Midwest Collegiate League campaigns as the Rockford Foresters. Rockford lost the final six games of 2013 to finish 7-25, in the basement of the MCL standings. Joliet Junior College is once again home to MCL baseball after hosting the Will County CrackerJacks in 2011 and Illinois Lincolns in 2012.
About the Matchup
The Oilmen have dominated the all-time series against this franchise, going 10-1 against the Rockford Foresters in 2012 and 2013. The Foresters, who played as a road team in 2013, dropped all seven meetings with the Oilmen a year ago. NWI holds a nine game head-to-head winning streak against the Rockford/Joliet franchise. This is only the third time the Oilmen have played a road game against this franchise with the first two coming at Marinelli Field in Rockford in 2012, both NWI victories. The Oilmen and Admirals will clash eight different times during the 2014 season.
Around the League
There are two other Midwest Collegiate League teams in action this evening as DuPage County collides with Chicago in the first game of the year for both clubs. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Benedictine Stadium.
Click "download attachment" to view a full PDF of Oilmen Game Notes.
