ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Despite facing a rain-soaked evening, the Olean Oilers defeated the Rochester Ridgemen 6-3 in game one of the New York Collegiate Baseball League Western Division Championship Series Tuesday night at Basket Road Field.
The combination of Jimmy Webb (Lock Haven University) and Cole Hollins (Canisius College) led the Oilers offensively. Webb finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a walk, while Hollins went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
The Oilers wasted little time getting to work, plating five runs in the first two innings of play.
The first inning began with a walk to Brian Tagoe (La Salle University) and singles for Webb and Hollins, loading the bases with none out. After a strikeout, Dominic Cecere (Mercyhurst University) continued the carousel in his bat, as a wild pitch allowed Tagoe to score and the eventual walk of Cecere kept the bases loaded. Cecere was forced out at second on a fielders choice in the following at bat, but Webb scored to put Olean up 2-0.
In the second, Kam Lane (University of Miami) re-sparked the offense with a one-out triple to left field. The bases then, once again, became loaded for the Oilers as both Tagoe and Webb drew walks, bringing Hollins tot he plate. Hollins took a first-pitch strike to open the at bat, but jumped on the next pitch and drove it center for a two-run double to extend the lead to 4-0. Kevin Higgins (St. Bonaventure University) added the final run of the inning with a ground out to the shortstop, bringing in Webb.
After a silent third inning, the Oilers tacked on one final run in the fourth. The run came courtesy of a single for Cecere to plate Webb. Webb had previously been hit by a pitch, moved to second on a Hollins single and reached third thanks to a sacrifice fly out for Higgins.
The Ridgemen attempted to muster a comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning. The bottom half opened with a walk to Kameron Kilchrist (The Masters College) and an infield single for Brady Cottom (Marietta College). Josh Kallstrom (Oregon Institute of Technology) continued the rally with an RBI single into right field, getting the Ridgemen on the board. Cottom advanced to third on Kallstrom’s single, allowing him to score on the following sacrifice fly out for Jordan Stubbings (Colorado Mesa University).
A passed ball put Kallstrom on third with one out, putting him in a position to score when Liam Fitzpatrick (Whitworth College) grounded into a 1-6-3 putout, putting the score at 6-3.
However, this would be as far as the Ridgemen got to coming back, as they were held to two hits and two walks over the final three-and-one-third innings.
Nolan Hunt (Canisius College) started on the mound for the Oilers, throwing seven innings and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Nathan Holt (Pennsylvania College of Technology) tossed the final two innings for Olean, keeping the Ridgemen scoreless with one hit and one walk, while striking out three.
Tyler Johnson (Finger Lakes Community College/Churchville-Chili) pitched the last five-and-two-thirds innings for the Ridgemen, surrendering three hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday at Bradner Stadium in Olean for game two of the Western Division Championship Series. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
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