By MIKAEL DeSANTO
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Aaron Phillips (St. Bonaventure University) went 3-for-4 with a run batted in and three runs scored and hurled seven innings for the Olean Oilers in their 13-1 victory over the Rochester Ridgemen in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Monday night at Basket Road Field.
“Everybody battled tonight, it was a 3-1 game for a long time,” Phillips said. “They battled and we battled, and I’m glad we stayed in it.”
Bobby Bell, the Oilers’ head coach, said the combination of good pitching and a continuous attack on offense led to the win.
“Aaron pitched really well, quality at bats all around and playing defense, any time you do that we’ll be in a good spot to win the game,” Bell said. “I would like to say we have a dangerous lineup at any time, one through nine, doesn’t matter what lineup we have in either.”
Phillips made his seventh start of the season, pitching seven innings and giving up one run on six hits and two walks, while striking out six.
“I didn’t throw well last outing and it was definitely my worst outing of the year,” Phillips said. “I wanted to come out tonight, establish the fastball, get ahead of hitters and make sure I threw my off-speed for strikes in any count.”
Luke Chevalier (Northern State University) took the mound for the Ridgemen, making his seventh start of the season. Chevalier pitched six innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, while striking out five.
“I thought I did fine,” Chevalier said. “I was just trying to keep them off balance, the defense helped me out a little bit, it was a good team effort for those six innings, but we’re just looking to finish strong in those games (the last five games of the season).”
The Oilers struck first with a run in the second inning and two in the third inning. The run in the second came following Matt Schneider (Mercyhurst University) reaching second on an error and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Schneider scored by stealing home after Evan Ryan (St. John Fisher College), who had walked, was thrown out trying to steal second.
In the third, Sam Kysor (Lock Haven University) and Phillips walked, advancing one base each on a wild pitch. Both runners scored soon after on a single by David Yanni (University of Pittsburgh), giving the Oilers a 3-0 lead.
“He had a little trouble locating early on, it gets to second and third, (he) probably doesn’t want to walk me with a good hitter, Griff (Alex Griffith (University of Pittsburgh)), behind me,” Yanni said. “I was sitting fastball, he spiked one early with 1-0 and I was going to spit anything off-speed, but he ended up throwing me a fastball, I stayed inside it, was able to put it through the middle and get two runs in.”
The Ridgemen were able to cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ethan Luna (Southwestern University) singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and going to third on a groundout by Matt Jackson (Reinhardt College). Luna scored on another wild pitch, which ended up being the teams only run for the game.
However, the Oilers responded with a late-inning rush, scoring 10 runs over the last three innings of play. In the seventh, one run came across after they loaded the bases with a Phillips single and walks to Yanni and Griffith. Phillips was able to score when Schneider worked a walk, forcing in the run.
A seven-run eighth inning helped further extend the Oilers lead. Dave Vaccaro (St. Bonaventure University) and Eddie Demurias (University of Florida) opened the inning with walks, scoring on a double by Kysor and a Phillips single respectively. After Yanni walked to load the bases, pinch hitter Mark Koloszvary (University of Florida) grounded out, allowing Kysor to score. Schneider then doubled to plate Phillips and Yanni, and scored when Ryan doubled. The final run of the inning came when Demurias singled and drove in Ryan, giving the team an 11-1 lead.
“Today the wind was blowing out to right, so I was just trying to let the ball get deep,” Schneider said. “The same approach as all year, let it get deep, let the ball travel and just took a swing on it, make good things happen.”
The Oilers picked up their final two runs in the top of the ninth. Kysor drew a walk and Cole Peterson (St. Bonaventure University) doubled to put them both in scoring position. Both scored on ground outs, Kysor on one by Andrew White (State University of New York at Buffalo) and Peterson on one by Logan O’Connell (University of Rochester).
The Ridgemen managed to get two runners on in the ninth, but neither scored, and the Oilers secured the victory.
Justin Dillard, the Ridgemen’s head coach, said the pitching performance dictates their game and lack of depth in that aspect hurt them.
“For as much as we have pitching, that’s about as much of a game as we can give,” Dillard said. “Through seven they were tough, and beyond that we ran out of pitching and had to shuffle guys around, guys playing out of positions, and then they’re just doing the best they can.”
The win brought the Oilers to 37-6, while the Ridgemen fell to 9-32 on the season.
Jade Doyle (Ancilla College) pitched one inning for the Ridgemen, giving up one run on one hit and three walks, while striking out one.
Nathan Grant (St. Bonaventure University) pitched a scoreless and hitless inning of relief for the Oilers, striking out two.
Jake Cantleberry (Tulane University), Joe Done (Skagit Valley College) and Danny Molinari (De Anza College) combined to pitch the last two innings for the Ridgemen, giving up nine runs, six hits and six walks.
Kaden Darrow (Marymount University) pitched a scoreless ninth for the Oilers, surrendering one hit and one walk.
The Ridgemen will next play June 19 at Basket Road Field against the Wellsville Nitros at 7 p.m.
The Oilers next game will be at Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex against the Genesee Rapids on June 21 at 7 p.m.
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