By MIKAEL DeSANTO
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Sam Kysor (Lock Haven) beat out a check-swing base hit, and the Olean Oilers captured a 7-5 extra-innings victory over the Rochester Ridgemen in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Basket Road Field, Sunday night.
Kysor’s hit drove in David Yanni (University of Pittsburgh) as the Oilers improved to 6-1 on the season.
Jimmy Webb (Lock Haven University) led Olean’s charge with two RBI.
“I’ve been struggling the last couple days with the inside pitch,” Webb said. “So we were working a little extra on getting my hands through and not trying to do too much.”
The Oilers sent Adam Rigney (Nichols College) to the mound for start while Reagan Lucia (Lubbock Christian University) made his second start of the season for the Ridgemen. Lucia, like many others on the Ridgemen staff, struggled with his control early on, accounting for four of his teams eight walks on the day.
“For me tonight, the factor was just humidity and having a little slippage action coming out of the ball,” Lucia said. “It’s just something you need to learn to adapt to.”
Rigney settled in well early, helped in part by his team giving him an early lead. In the top of the first the Oilers were able to score one run on an Aaron Phillips (St. Bonaventure University) single with two outs, following the first of Lucia’s walks. However Rigney would be knocked out of his groove in the third inning when the Ridgemen were able to string offense together.
“I just got behind a few batters and then had to throw a few fastballs,” Rigney said. “They jumped on them pretty well.”
The Ridgemen were able to score two runs when, after Bram Wood (Olney Central College) was hit by a pitch, and Ethan Luna (Southwestern University) reached base. Joe Done (Skagit Valley College) ripped a two-run triple into centerfield, giving the Ridgemen the lead.
“Basically just get my foot down and see the ball,” Done said. “Let whatever happens happen, keep my hands back and let it ride.”
The Ridgemen added another run in the fifth inning when Done drove Luna in again, this time with a double, after Luna picked up the second of his three hits for the game.
“Tonight I really just shortened up my swing, focus on letting my hands work, so I wasn’t too worried about power,” Luna said. “(I’ve) been starting to get my timing down and tonight it just started to come together.”
The Oilers threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two out, but did not score.
In the seventh, the Oilers would once again load the bases with two outs, but this time Matt Fontneau (Colorado Christian University) would be unable to escape damage. Pinch hitter Andrew White (State University of New York at Buffalo) drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch. An error allowed the potential final out of the inning to reach safely and the tying run to score.
The Ridgemen retook the lead in their half of the seventh on a Wood double and an Luna RBI single, bringing the score to 5-3.
“My approach: I think ‘see ball, hit ball’,” Wood said. “I like to just jump on that first pitch fastball if I get the opportunity.”
In the eighth, Webb tied the game at five when he connected on a two-out double to plate a pair of runs.
Webb set the table for Olean’s dramatics.
In the 11th, Yanni (University of Pittsburgh) doubled and Ian Luttrell (Marietta College) reached on a fielder’s choice before Kysor (Lock Haven University), who drew three walks in the game, checked his swing and tapped the ball towards third, allowing the run to score. Alex Griffith (University of Pittsburgh) added one final run with a double later in the inning before the side was finally retired.
“I like to see 5, 6 pitches,” Kysor said. “I’m a lead off guy, that’s what I’ve done my whole career.”
The Ridgemen would be retired in order in the bottom of the inning, giving the Oilers the victory after eleven innings and around three hours of play.
“What’s disappointing is the fact that we put ourselves in that position and we shouldn’t have been there,” Justin Dillard, the Ridgemen’s head coach, said.
Despite getting the win, the Oilers did leave 18 runners on base in the game. The Oilers coach, Bobby Bell said that his teams difficulties throughout the game stem from a need to adjust to the summer workload.
“The long summer is already hitting us a little early,” Bell said. “A lot of these guys are used to playing three times a week, as opposed to six days in a row.”
Matt Schneider (Mercyhurst University) went 2-for-6 with one run scored and two strikeouts.
Connor Maxwell (Hillsdale College) threw four innings, surrendering four runs on six hits and two walks, and picked up two strikeouts.
Luttrell also went four innings, giving no runs and no hits, striking out two.
The Oilers will next play on June 7 against the Ridgemen at Bradner Stadium in Olean at 7 p.m.
The Ridgemen’s next game will be June 6 against the Genesee Rapids in Genesee at 7 p.m.
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