By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
HORNELL, NY – Bouncing back from a tough loss, the Olean Oilers put themselves back in the win column with perseverance and persistence, downing the Hornell Steamers 10-6 in a redemption-filled victory.
After suffering their worst loss of the season a night before against the Genesee Rapids, Olean went back on the road for a rematch with the Steamers. Having faced them and lost in the opening game of the season (6-5), the Oilers could either find redemption or continued frustration.
Opening the game strong, it seemed as if fate was on their side through the first four and a half frames. In the first, Caden Wolfley reached on a lead-off walk, then stealing his way to third before being joined on base by Noah Gerrick and eventually stealing his way to third on a pinch play at second. Then shutting out the Steamers in three, the Oilers added to their early lead with a two-run homer from Dustin Hendrix.
While Olean would score another in the fourth – another play from Hendrix, this time an RBI-single that scored Bryce Neely – Hornell would begin to find their rhythm. Scoring one in the bottom of the fourth, the Steamers would swiftly take back control of the game with a massive five-run fifth frame that saw a three-run RBI-triple from Cooper McEnroe which was immediately followed by a deep shot from Hayden Hernandez that soared over the left field wall to bring in another two scores.
However, the Oilers wouldn’t waste time responding. In the sixth, Wolfley again reached first on a walk, then made his way to third on consecutive steals, before making it to home on a Hornell error. With the bases loaded, Hartley Rahman crushed a double to tie the game at 6.
Holding the Steamers at bay with a mixed bag of crisp work in the field and stellar pitching from Chris Laieta and Brendan Roche, Olean would stunt the Steamers for the remaining four frames. In the meantime, they would close out the game with three more runs in the eighth and ninth. Loading the bases again in the eighth, the Oilers took a two-run advantage with a pair of walks before sealing their win with another Hornell error, this time coming by way of a wild pitch and subsequent overthrow in the ninth.
Having his best game of the season, Hendrix ended 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored. Gerrick collected two hits in five appearances, rounding home three times while Wilson (1-for-4), Cainzos (1-for-1), JT Smith (1-for-5), Rahman (1-for-5) and Alex Myers (1-for-4) all managed to contribute hits as Olean improved to 5-2.
The Oilers will see another familiar face on Wednesday when they return to Bradner Stadium to host the Dansville Gliders, a team they beat 5-2 last Sunday.
AT HORNELL
Olean 120 103 021 R:10 H:9 E:0
Hornell 000 150 000 R:6 H:9 E:2
OL: Colunga (3 SO, 1 BB), Laieta (5) (3 SO, 4 BB), Roche (6) (4 SO, 2 BB), O. Smith (9) (2 SO, 0 BB) and J. Smith
HR: Vogel (4 SO, 5 BB), Ainsworth (7) (1 SO, 3 BB), Davis (8) (2 SO, 2 BB) and Groves
