By ANTHONY SAMBROTTO
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Fans of quality pitching and strong defense received their fill Wednesday in Niagara Falls.
The Olean Oilers swept a doubleheader against the Niagara Power (1-0/2-0) in two contests that featured all four starting pitchers going at least seven innings in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Sal Maglie Stadium.
Both teams have had no trouble staying off the scoreboard this season, but runs and hits were at a premium this go around.
Game one featured Ryan Broaderick (Clearwater Christian College) for the Power and Ryan Pordes (El Camino College) for the Oilers. Both pitched a complete, seven-inning game.
Broaderick found himself in several jams in the early innings, but continually worked out of them. In the top of the sixth, the Oilers finally capitalized with pinch hitter Kaden Darrow (Marymount) singling home the game’s only run. That hit was Darrow’s fifth on the season in only eight at-bats.
Coming around to score was Dave “Bubba” Hollins (St. Petersburg), who finished with three hits and had the only multi-hit game for either side.
On the mound for Olean, Pordes had no problem shutting the Power down. He allowed only two hits and let only four Power batters reach base. In his lone pickle of the game, Pordes got pinch-hitter Caleb Thomas to fly out with two runners on base.
That fly out was consistent with Pordes’ approach all game, as the Power put the ball in play with only two strikeouts but were thwarted by strong defense. Broaderick, on the other hand, had nine strikeouts for Niagara.
Game two was simply a continuation of game one with Aaron Phillips (St. Bonaventure) on the bump for Olean and B.J. Greathouse (Summit University) throwing for the Power.
Phillips struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced en route to a total of 11 for the game and didn’t allow a single batter to reach base until the fourth inning. Phillips didn’t let up as the game progessed, however, taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh.
With the score still tied 0-0, Jessep Polk (North Greenville University) drove a ball into the outfield for the Power’s first hit. The Power had a golden chance to walk-off with two runners on base later in the inning, but Phillips preserved the game for Olean.
” I took a no-hitter into the ninth earlier in the season in Wellsville,” Phillips said. “Once you go through it, you are just trying to match the other starter and he threw so well tonight. Your main goal is to keep your team in the game and hopefully I did my job tonight.”
Phillips certainly did all he could and was taken out after the seventh, but Niagara elected to kept Greathouse in the game. He finished with nine innings pitched, six hits, no runs and three strikeouts.
Even with the game going into two tired bullpens, the game remained scoreless.
In the bottom of the 10th, Niagara had another great chance to put the game away. With runners on second and third with one out, Oilers’ reliever Ben Wilford (Gulf Coast CC) got the next two Power batters out in order to give his team another shot.
Olean finally ended the double zeros in the same fashion as they did in game one. This time Evan Ryan (Erie CC) was the pinch-hitter and ripped a ball at second base to score a run. A throwing error on the same play brought a second run around to score making it 2-0.
Wilford got the Power out in order in the bottom of the 11th and picked up the win. Nick Campe (Olivet Nazarene University) suffered the loss for the Power.
Hollins added on to his three hits from game one with two in the second game while catcher Mike Fahrman (University of Florida)also had two hits and scored the winning run.
For Niagara, it was their eighth straight loss, with the last four coming at the hands of the Oilers. After starting the season 21-8 and having control of the NYCBL’s Western Division, the Power now sit at 21-16 and in third place.
Niagara has been held without a run for the last 20 innings.
Olean, meanwhile, has won four in a row and six of their last 10 to move over .500 at 18-16 and in control of the last playoff spot in the west.
“Niagara is such a great team with great pitching and they grind every at-bat out, ” Phillips said. “Playing with these guys it seems like we can only win close games but a win is a win and we are having a lot of fun doing it at the end.”
Both teams get the day off tomorrow for the NYCBL all-star festivities in Oneonta. The Power are sending seven players to the game, while the Oilers are sending three.
Niagara will resume action at home on Friday when they face the Genesee Rapids at 7 p.m., and the Oilers will also return home Friday to take on the Geneva Twins for a 7 p.m. first pitch.
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