Oilmen release 2016 schedule, set for another summer of fun at Oil City Stadium Whiting, Ind. – February 16, 2016 – The 2016 Northwest Indiana Oilmen schedule has been released. The Oilmen venture into uncharted waters to usher in the new summer season when they travel to O’Neil Park in Bloomington on May 26 for a 7:30 p.m. game against the league’s newest team, the Bloomington Bobcats. Fans will have plenty of chances to see familiar opposition as well. Throughout the season, the Oilmen will face off with the Southland Vikings and DuPage County Hounds for the fifth consecutive year, the Michigan City Lakers for the fourth straight year and the Joliet Admirals for the third year in a row. Oilmen fans will have the opportunity to come out to Oil City Stadium time and time again to catch the excitement of Oilmen baseball this summer. The team will play a 50-game league schedule, with 33 home dates and 17 road contests on the docket. They will also host the U.S. Military All-Stars for a special exhibition game on July 4. The season begins with the longest season-opening road trip in team history as the Oilmen are away from Northwest Indiana for nine straight games. When the Oilmen welcome in the Michigan City Lakers on June 7 for the home opener, it begins the longest homestand in Oilmen history. NWI will play 22 consecutive games at Oil City Stadium. Mondays will be a mutual league off day used for rain makeup games again this season. The start time for Oilmen home games has been slightly altered: The first pitch will now take place at 7:20 p.m. for most home games. Sunday home games will still begin at 4 p.m. The MCL All-Star Game returns to Oil City Stadium on July 12 at 7:30 p.m. Fans from the six MCL clubs, major league scouts, all six MCL managers and the league’s brightest stars will gather in one place for the annual celebration of the league’s talent. The Midwest Collegiate League Playoffs begin on Aug. 2 with the semifinal series continuing Aug. 2 and Aug. 3. The first-place team from the regular season will host the No. 4 seed for Games 1 and 3, while the No. 1 seed will travel to the No. 4 seed for Game 2. The No. 2 seed will be home against the No. 3 seed for Games 1 and 3, with the No. 3 seed hosting Game 2. Winners of the best-of-three semifinal series will advance to face off in the 2016 MCL Championship Aug. 5-7. The Oilmen are in search of their first league title since 2012, the team’s inaugural season. The DuPage County Hounds enter 2016 as the defending league champions. |