The Region's Team Of Northwest Indiana

LEMONT, Ill. – The Northwest Indiana Oilmen used a big seventh inning with some key hits to come back from behind to defeat the DuPage County Hounds, 6-4, Sunday.  

Going to the seventh inning, the Oilmen were down 4-3 but NWI would rally to take the lead. After back-to-back walks by Tyler Scroczynski (Dyer, Ind./Trinity Christian) and Chase Dawson (Chesterton, Ind./Valparaiso), Alec Olund (Crown Point, Ind./Purdue) zipped a triple to right, scoring Scroczynski and Dawson, but the Oilmen were not done as Donivan Williams (Oak Lawn, Ill./Illinois State) had a go-ahead triple for NWI, when he roped a RBI triple to left to give the Oilmen a 5-4 lead in the seventh.  

“Feels good, I just tried shorten my swing and I got my swing down. I was struggling early in the game,” Williams said. “I was thinking three all the way and score the runner.” Max Franklin (Oak Lawn, Ill./Heartland CC) dazzled out of the Oilmen bullpen, picking up the win in relief, throwing four scoreless frames, scattering two hits, issuing two walks and striking out three.  

“Felt pretty good, did whatever I can to help the team. I threw 97 pitches but did not feel like it,” Franklin said. “It is a close game, keep it close, do what you can, do not try to do too much.”  

Adam Enright, Manager of the Northwest Indiana Oilmen, said game one and switching over to wood bats and the players are still finding their place on the team, they do not how the summer is going to go.

 “As we settle in and guys figure each other out and guys understand their place and their role runs will come easier,” Enright said. “For him or anyone [Franklin] to throw that performance against this team [Hounds] and to put up four zeros is pretty good.”  

The Hounds struck first in the second inning with three runs after the sacrifice fly by Brandon Post and Sam O’Brien roped a double to right to make it 3-0.

The Oilmen would get two back in the third inning after Hunter Thorn (Portage, Ind./Purdue Northwest) slapped a double to center scoring Dawson and Chris Baker (South Holland, Ill./South Suburban).  

Post continued his big game giving the Hounds a run back in the fourth, getting an RBI single scoring Austin Tittle from third but that is all the offense the Hounds would have, with the Oilmen bullpen shutting the Hounds out the rest of the way.  

Oilmen starter Brian Jestice (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Evansville) only allowed two earned runs, scattering three hits, five strikeouts in four innings of work. Hounds starter Alex Stevenson, went five, allowing two runs, issuing one walk and striking out three.  

Rory Gard (Schererville, Ind./Saint Joseph’s College) came on to pitch in the ninth inning and was able to pick up his first save of the season.  

NWI returns to action tomorrow afternoon as the Oilmen travel to Joliet Junior College to take on the Joliet Admirals for a makeup game from Friday May 26, game time is scheduled for 12 p.m.

To see the box score from today's game, click on "Download Attachment".