Seven-run lead evaporates in wacky loss to Michigan City Michigan City, Ind. – June 21, 2015 – Sunday’s game is one the Northwest Indiana Oilmen will never forget, but for all the wrong reasons. Colin Willis launched a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Michigan City Lakers a 13-12 win, a game the Oilmen led by seven runs in the eighth inning.
Michigan City scored six times in the bottom of the eighth against Matt Dvorscak to shrink the lead to one, before Hunter Clark (0-1) took the defeat after serving up the game-winner to Willis.
“I’m pretty confident that the guys we have on the team can get six outs with a seven-run lead, so I don’t think I’d do anything differently,” manager Adam Enright said. “We just need to get the outs and finish the game.”
The Oilmen committed three errors and had several other flairs that were lost in the sun or dropped between the outfield and infield for base hits.
“First place or last place, if you’re playing baseball at the college level, that’s going to lead to runs,” Enright said. “That’s going to lead to them closing the gap. No different makeup from (Saturday). We dropped some fly balls; we were pitching from behind in the count. We threw fastballs right down the middle, and they hit it.”
The Oilmen offense enjoyed its most productive day of the season, banging out 12 runs on 19 hits while also benefiting from three walks and four Laker errors. The Oilmen (8-5) left 16 runners on base.
Brian Seymour paced the bats by going 4-for-4 and driving in two runs, while Joe Jumonville and Josh Turnock turned in three hits apiece. Four of the first five Oilmen runs were scored on sacrifice flies, two of which came off the bat of Donovan Chandler.
Michigan City starting pitcher Casey Young threw 167 pitches, allowing 12 runs (nine earned) on 19 hits to pick up an unusual complete-game victory. Young (2-1) issued three walks and struck out three.
“We got good pitches to hit,” Enright said. “You’ve got to put the barrel on it. They were doing that, so they swung it OK.”
Oilmen starter Tyler Loesher yielded five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings and received no decision.
Five of the six Michigan City runs in the eighth inning came with two outs. A day after losing a game they led by nine runs in the eighth, the Lakers (3-10) pulled off a similar rally of their own.)
The Oilmen, who have dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, will look to bounce back on Tuesday in Joliet at 5 p.m. Then, they return home for an exciting stretch of five home games in five days beginning with Youth Baseball and Softball Night on Wednesday against the Admirals. All players wearing their uniform jerseys will be admitted for the discounted price of $6. |