Game Notes: Oilmen face must-win Game 2 on road SUNDAY’S GAME: August 2, 2015 • 1 p.m. • Lexington, Ill.
Radio: AM 1230 WJOB
Internet Broadcast: nwioilmen.com
Time Change
Please note that the game will begin at 1 p.m. due to an unfavorable weather forecast in Lexington in the late afternoon hours.
Pitching Matchup
NWI’s Keith Mahler (Highland, Ind.) vs. Lexington’s Noah Lamboley (Parkland)
For Starters
The Snipes captured Game 1 of the Midwest Collegiate League playoffs 11-4 on Saturday night at Oil City Stadium. In the five-year history of the Midwest Collegiate League, no team has rallied to win a best-of-three playoff series after losing the first game. The Oilmen will try to become the second team ever to force a third game. The only series that has ever gone beyond two games is the 2011 championship, when Will County won game one, lost game two and won game three against Rockford. The Oilmen allowed 15 hits, issued four walks and committed five errors in the opening game of the series. Bright spots included Tyler Sroczynski, Sam Geraci and Fred Smart, who had two hits each.
Inside the Oilmen
The Oilmen saw their five-game winning streak screech to a halt in Friday’s playoff opener. In addition, their losing streak in postseason games extended to five. Their most recent postseason victory came in their last playoff game at Lexington, a 17-9 win over the Snipes at Illinois Wesleyan in the first round of the 2013 playoffs. Tyler Sroczynski won the Oilmen team triple crown during the regular season, leading the team in average (.397) and RBIs (31) and matching Jordan Lewis for the team lead in home runs with three. Zack Jones was hitting .280 entering the final week of the regular season. He batted .600 over the final week to finish the season at .322 and reach the goal he established before the season. Keith Mahler gets the ball for Sunday’s must-win game. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 1.59 ERA and 5-1 record. He struck out 23 and walked only four in 44 innings. His worst start of the year came against the Snipes on June 7, when he allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings but still got the win.
Inside the Snipes
Saturday night marked the first MCL postseason win for the Snipes since joining the league in 2013. They were swept out of the playoffs by the Oilmen in 2013 and by the Southland Vikings last season. Lexington turns to Parkland right-hander Noah Lamboley to try to seal the series. Lamboley held a 3.30 ERA and 3-2 record in the regular season. He worked 30 innings and issued only four walks while striking out 18. Lamboley shut down the Oilmen on July 22, tossing seven shutout innings while yielding only three hits.
About the Matchup
The Oilmen went 5-4 against the Snipes in the regular season and lead the all-time series 17-10. They are 2-1 all-time against Lexington in postseason meetings. The Oilmen were 2-3 at High Desert Field this season.
Around the MCL
In the other MCL semifinal series, the Admirals and Hounds played an instant classic on Saturday. The Hounds jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but the Admirals scored 11 unanswered runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth. Then, DuPage County scored seven unanswered to regain the lead, 12-11. The Admirals were down to their final out in the top of the ninth, but they scored three times and went on to win 14-13.
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