07/15/2016 11:46 AM -
FRIDAY’S GAME:
DuPage County Hounds (20-13)
at Northwest Indiana Oilmen (21-15)
July 15, 2016 • 7:20 p.m. • Whiting, Ind.
Radio: AM 1230 WJOB, 104.7 FM
Online: NWIOilmen.com, wjob1230.com
Pitching Matchup
NWI’s Jordan Petty (Purdue Northwest / Highland, Ind.) vs. DuPage County’s Chase Lowman (College of DuPage / League City, Texas)
For Starters
The most important game of the year so far is set for Friday night at Oil City Stadium. The Oilmen welcome DuPage County with a chance to move into first place for the first time since July 7, 2015. The Hounds own a ½ game lead on the Oilmen for the top spot in the MCL. The Oilmen have won six straight games, and have a chance to match the longest winning streak in franchise history (June 7-20, 2014) with a victory on Friday.
Inside the Oilmen
The Oilmen have scored six or more runs in each game during the six-game winning streak. They are 20-3 when scoring six or more runs this season and 1-12 when scoring five or fewer. Stefano Belmonte is the league’s leading hitter at .398, while Tyler Sroczynski leads the league in runs scored with 38, 11 runs ahead of Joe Engel, who ranks second. Sroczynski also paces the MCL in home runs with four. Tommy Szczasny is the Oilmen team leader in RBIs with 24 and ranks third in the league behind Tyler Tesmond (26) and Brendan Brundage (25). Szczasny holds a 14-game hitting streak. Belmonte has multiple hits in four of his last five. Chase Dawson is 7-for-11 in his last two games after matching a franchise record with five hits on Saturday. Left-handed pitcher Jordan Petty, the reigning MCL Pitcher of the Week, is coming off a dominant performance against the Bloomington Bobcats in his first start of the year on July 7. He worked eight scoreless innings and allowed just three hits while walking four and striking out 10. He became the third pitcher in franchise history to reach double figure strikeouts in a game. Overall, Petty has a 1-0 record and 2.65 ERA in 17 innings over six games. He’s issued seven walks and fanned 16 this season.
Inside the Hounds
The Hounds send 2016 MCL All-Star Chase Lowman to the mound for Friday’s pivotal game. Lowman holds a 3.49 ERA in 38 2/3 innings this season while compiling a 5-2 record in nine games, six starts. He has issued 15 walks and struck out a team-high 35. Lowman’s last outing came on July 5 at Joliet, when he allowed three runs on five hits in six innings and got no decision. HE has faced the Oilmen once this season and lasted just 1 1/3 innings on June 17, allowing nine runs (six earned) on five hits and four walks to take the loss. With the Oilmen nipping at their heels, the Hounds secured victories on Saturday against the Admirals and Thursday against the Bobcats to stay atop the league standings.
About the Matchup
The Oilmen won the most recent meeting 7-1 in Lemont on July 8 to draw even in the season series. The two teams have split the first six meetings with three remaining aincluding Friday. The winner of the regular season series will own a potential tiebreaker in the MCL standings. The Hounds lead the all-time series 21-19.
Click "download attachment" to view full Oilmen Game Notes.
