07/30/2014 10:18 AM -
WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
No. 2 DuPage County Hounds (27-14)
at No. 3 Northwest Indiana Oilmen (26-18, 24-17)
*2014 Midwest Collegiate League Semifinal Series Game 2*
July 30, 2014 • 7:10 p.m. • Whiting, Ind.
Radio: AM 1230 WJOB
Internet Broadcast: nwioilmen.com
Series Schedule and Pitching Matchups
Tuesday 7 p.m. at Benedictine University: Hounds 3, Oilmen 1
Wednesday 7:10 p.m. at Oil City Stadium: Cameron Linck (5-2, 1.94 ERA) vs. Matt Frawley (2-3, 2.06 ERA)
Thursday 7 p.m. at Benedictine University: Pitching Matchup TBD
For Starters
The Oilmen enter Wednesday night with their backs up against the wall after falling 3-1 in the opening game of the best-of-three series on Tuesday night in DuPage County. The Oilmen could not muster up much offense against Hounds pitcher Patrick Bellinger, who heaved a complete game and outdueled Oilmen left-hander Jimmy McNamara. The Oilmen are hoping to become the first team in the five-year history of the Midwest Collegiate League to rally to win a playoff series after losing the first game. In all 10 previous MCL postseason series, the team that has won the opening game has gone on to win the series. The last time an MCL playoff series went to a third game was the 2011 MCL Championship between the Will County CrackerJacks and Rockford Foresters.
Inside the Oilmen
The Oilmen will turn to Hill College right-handed pitcher Cameron Linck for Game 2 of the series. Linck finished the regular season with a 5-2 record and led the Oilmen starting staff with a 1.94 earned run average. Linck’s most recent start was a four-inning tune-up on July 24 in Joliet. He yielded no runs on two hits while walking none and striking out four. For the season, Linck ranked second on the team in strikeouts with 45 and issued 18 walks. Linck faced the Hounds twice this season, going 1-1 against them with both games taking place at Oil City Stadium. He tossed seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits in a 5-0 victory on June 27. On July 19, Linck was touched for four runs – three earned – on six hits over five innings to take the loss.
Inside the Hounds
The Hounds send Purdue University’s Matt Frawley to the mound for Wednesday’s second game. Frawley pitched seven innings of three-hit ball on June 27 at Oil City Stadium, but the Oilmen scored four unearned runs against him en route to a 5-0 win. Frawley worked in relief against the Oilmen on July 13 in DuPage County, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and one walk.
About the Matchup
The Oilmen dropped six of the eight regular season meetings with DuPage County. The Hounds hold a slim 13-11 lead in the all-time series (regular season and postseason) with the Oilmen. The Oilmen were 2-2 against the Hounds at Oil City Stadium this season. Before this series, the last time the Oilmen and Hounds met in the postseason was 2012, when the Oilmen took both games of the MCL Semifinal Series. Northwest Indiana picked up a 5-1 win in the opener behind a strong pitching performance by Josh Negele. The Oilmen won game two in Lisle 10-6 as Jack Cinoman had four hits and Kyle Wood and Elliot Badja posted three hits apiece, allowing the Oilmen to clinch a berth in the MCL Championship Series in their inaugural season.
Regular Season Series: Hounds 6 games, Oilmen 2 games
May 31 at DuPage County: Hounds 8, Oilmen 1
June 5 at Northwest Indiana: Hounds 6, Oilmen 3
June 22 at DuPage County: Hounds 2, Oilmen 1
June 27 at Northwest Indiana: Oilmen 5, Hounds 0
July 13 at DuPage County: Hounds 5, Oilmen 3
July 15 at Northwest Indiana: Oilmen 2, Hounds 1
July 19 at Northwest Indiana: Hounds 6, Oilmen 2
July 22 at DuPage County: Hounds 8, Oilmen 4
Around the League
The Southland Vikings fell behind 4-2 in the third inning, but rallied to roll over Lexington 13-4 in the opening game of the other MCL Semifinal Series. Brandon White picked up the win despite allowing four runs on eight hits over seven innings. The Snipes pitching staff issued nine walks, while their defense committed four errors in the defeat. The Vikings have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Illinois Wesleyan University.
