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Oilmen, Hounds face off with first place up for grabs

06/14/2015 9:33 AM -

TUESDAY’S Game:

DuPage County Hounds (6-2)
at Northwest Indiana Oilmen (6-2)
 
June 16, 2015 • 7:10 p.m. • Whiting, Ind.
Radio: AM 1230 WJOB
Internet Broadcast: nwioilmen.com
 
Pitching Matchup
NWI’s Christian Howell (Minnesota State Mankato / Aurora, Ill.) vs. DuPage County’s Noah Masa (University of Illinois-Chicago / Homer Glen, Ill.)
 
For Starters
It’s early, but the Oilmen and Hounds are already locked in a tightly-contested race atop the Midwest Collegiate League standings. The only DuPage County losses this season have come to the Oilmen. They enter Tuesday as the only two teams in the league with records above .500.  
 
Inside the Oilmen
Christian Howell will make his second start in an Oilmen uniform on Tuesday. The Minnesota State Mankato right-hander started the June 5 game against Michigan City and went six innings while allowing three runs on eight hits. He issued three walks and struck out two. Howell received no decision in a game the Oilmen lost 7-5. Hot starts to the season are nothing new for Northwest Indiana. The Oilmen started the 2013 campaign 6-2 in their first eight Midwest Collegiate League games. In the inaugural season, Northwest Indiana held an 8-2 record through 10 games.
 
Inside the Hounds
It’s been a pair of familiar names that have done the most offensive damage for DuPage County this season. Returning players Trent Carrier and Richie Gorski are both off to strong starts. Carrier, a two-way player at Holy Names University, leads the team in batting average, home runs and RBIs. He’s hitting .567, has driven in six and owns the team’s only home run. Gorski, an infielder at Missouri Southern, is hitting .429 with a .500 on-base percentage and five RBIs. The Hounds will pitch UIC’s Noah Masa on Tuesday. Masa had a 6.64 ERA for the Flames this spring. He is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in 11 innings of work for DuPage County this summer.
 
About the Matchup
The Oilmen have already matched their season win total from a year ago against DuPage County. Northwest Indiana went just 2-8 against the Hounds last season, but they’re off to a 2-0 start this year including last Thursday’s 5-3 triumph. The two teams meet yet again this Thursday in Lemont, but then they do not hook up until July 2 in Whiting. The Oilmen have a chance to draw even in the all-time series on Sunday as they are currently 13-14 against the Hounds.
 
Around the MCL
The Lexington Snipes entered the win column for the first time this season on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader from the Michigan City Lakers 7-6 and 11-0. The Snipes made it a 40 weekend by taking two more from the Lakers on Sunday. Inclement weather in the Chicagoland area throughout the week wreaked havoc on the MCL. A total of nine league games this season have been postponed and have not yet been made up. The Southland Vikings have had four consecutive games washed out  and have had seven consecutive days off.
 
Click "download attachment" to view full Oilmen game notes.