By ABIGAIL SCHMIDT
HOUGHTON, N.Y. — Solid pitching by Ryan Pordes (El Camino) combined with hits from seven different players pushed the Olean Oilers past the Genesee Rapids, 7-2 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action on a chilly Tuesday night at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.
Pordes only allowed three hits on the night, giving up two earned runs while walking none.
“For Ryan to come out throwing strikes after not getting a ton of experience at school as a redshirt freshman is very positive for us,” commented Oilers’ manager Bobby Bell on Pordes performance. “It really helped us gain some momentum.”
After a scoreless first inning the Oilers struck first, with Aaron Phillips (Liberty) crossing the plate off an RBI single by Dan Pellinen (Friends).
The top of the third inning was impressive for Rapids starting pitcher, Brett St. Clair (Walsh). With Oilers on second and third, St. Clair struck out Isaac Dillard (Gulf Coast CC) to thwart Olean’s threat.
The score remained 1-0 through four innings, until both teams found some offense in the fifth inning. For Olean, after a leadoff single by Pellinen, a successful bunt by Evan Ryan (Erie CC) and a single from Cole Peterson (St. Bonaventure), David “Bubba” Hollins brought home Pellinen and Ryan with a two-run RBI double. Samuel Kysor (South Carolina Upstate) also tallied a single and a run to make it 4-0 going into the bottom of the fifth.
“They like to bunt,” states Rapids manager Tyler Rost. “We have to be able to defend that better. We were sloppy tonight defensively.”
Jason Collingwood (Greenville) subbed in at the mound for St. Clair in the inning, ending his run allowing eight hits, four earned runs, walking two and striking out two in four innings.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Rapids found a little life of their own. Dan Crozier (Cazenovia) doubled home Jake Shelby (Hesston) and Brandon Dupuis (Rochester College), and the Rapids trailed 4-2.
“I thought our offense was better tonight,” said Rost. “We were getting solid hits, they were just right to someone. Two runs isn’t too bad, we just have to focus on hitting the gaps more.”
The score remained the same through the sixth and seventh innings, with good defense and pitching by both teams.
“They had two double plays on us and we can’t let that happen,” Bell commented. We have to clean up our base running a little bit and when we do I think we can be a really strong team.”
Pordes went six innings for the win.
“Just throwing strikes,” the right-hander said. “I was able to hit the zone with the fastball and then throw a changeup that got them off balance a little bit. I would like to be able to go longer though, in the future.”
Austin Kirksey (Florida State College) came out of the bullpen and took over for Pordes in the seventh.
Aggressive offense during the eighth inning by the Oilers was the nail in the coffin for the Rapids. With Karlis Graubics (Marymount) on the mound for the Rapids, Dillard stole second and third base to score off a Matthew Kamenicky (Clarion) sacrifice fly. Phillips also scored in the inning to make it 6-2.
“We’re a fast team,” said Bell. “We run hard and we like to steal bases to put pressure on their defense. It helps when guys are hitting and bunting well.”
The Oilers scored once more in top of the ninth as Kysor doubled home Evan Ryan (Erie CC). The Rapids failed to generate anything in the bottom of the ninth.
Pellinen went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Ryan also had three hits in four trips to the plate while scoring two runs.
After this game, the Rapids fall to 1-2 on the season, while the Oilers improve to 2-1.
The Oilers and Rapids will face off again Wednesday, June 3rd at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex at 7 pm.
Written by Abigail Schmidt, a junior year business and communications major at Houghton College
Leave a Reply