Martin Oil gained a split over the weekend with a quick efficient win over Park Furniture on Sunday, getting a forfeit after one and 1/2 innings had been played. On Saturday, Martin Oil matched hits with ReMax Realty, with each team claiming six base hits. ReMax made theirs count however, with Jeff Vaughn shutting out Martin Oil 7-0.
On Sunday, in the home half of the first inning, at Stadium Drive field in Bellwood, Martin Oil paraded 11 batters to the plate, scoring six times on seven hits, that included a home run and a pair of doubles.
Justin Manning singled to left to open the frame, and Jake Manning dropped down a perfect bunt that he was able to beat out for a base hit. On the play, starting pitcher Nick Rusich threw the ball away, allowing both Mannings to move up a base, to second and third. Nate Gray’s grounder was misplayed by ReMax shortstop Nate Shultz with Justin Manning scoring. Jake Manning was thrown out trying to swipe third base for the first out of the inning. Chad Coho belted a ball over the 30-foot high fence in left field to score Gray in front of him for a 3-0 lead.
Mike Albright beat out a swinging bunt and Nate Plummer rapped a double. Justin Miller drove a pitch high off the netting in left for a double, to score both Albright and Plummer, and after he went to third on a wild pitch, Alex Miller was safe on an error that scored J. Miller. Trey Mock doubled, but Rusich got the next two batters to end the inning.
Albright pitched two scoreless innings for Martin Oil, hitting a batter in the first, and allowing a single to Nate Rossman in the second, with one strikeout and no walks.
When Martin Oil came in to hit in the bottom of the second, Park Furniture forfeited. Rusich had a sore arm and couldn’t go back into the game, which left Park with only eight players, forcing them to forfeit at that point.
On Saturday, ReMax took advantage of two walks, a wild pitch and two hits to take a 4-0 lead in the top of the third, after Martin Oil starter Nate Gray had retired the first six ReMax batters in a row, including the first four on strikeouts.
ReMax added an unearned score in the fourth on a single, walk and error, and finished out the scoring with a two-run Chris Perry home run in the fifth.
A bright spot for Martin Oil was two scoreless innings of relief by 16-year old Jared Coho to end the game.
Martin Oil had chances early, stranding a runner at second base with one out in the first, and had runners at first and second with one out, finally leaving a runner at third, in the second inning.
“We got off to a good start on Sunday, maybe the best of the year,” said Martin Oil manager Ed Davis. “It was good to see some of the guys who haven’t been hitting get base hits early. Lack of hitting and lack of discipline at the plate, have been our biggest problems all season.
“Mike Albright pitched two very good innings for us, quickly getting through both innings, throwing strikes and letting his fielders do the work. We would rather have kept on playing, but a win is a win.”
