Despite capping off season with a win, Oilers’ playoffs hopes dashed from afar

By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com

OLEAN, NY – Midway through the Olean Oilers’ regular season finale, there was a palpable tension in the air. Despite seeing the Oilers’ even the scoreboard, a silence fell over Bradner Stadium, the stakes of a playoff berth on the line producing a near silence only interrupted by sparks of grievances from the grandstands. 

Although Olean found a way to survive, finding a 6-3 rout of the Niagara Falls Americans, their postseason aspirations did not, falling victim to circumstance as a game played nearly 150 miles to the Northeast abruptly ended their season.  

Coming into Sunday’s closer, Olean was only in control of half of their fate. To prolong their summer, they needed two things to fall their way. First, they had to handle the Americans. Secondly and uncontrollably, they needed the Auburn Doubledays to take down Elmira, a team that sat just half a game above the Oilers in the Western Conference standings. 

Just earning a chance to contend for the fourth and final spot in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League playoffs had been a battle, one that saw the Oilers peak their head above 0.500 with eight wins in their previous ten games. 

“Yesterday was disappointing, so some of today was about recovering from yesterday,” said Olean Oilers head coach Mike Threehouse of the team’s 11-1 loss to the Niagara Ironbacks, which would have secured a playoff spot. “It was still one of the best stretches of baseball we’d play all year long.”

Object A, being beating Niagara Falls, began contentiously. Despite being down 0-3 in the season series and being a far cry from any playoff positioning, the Americans came to play the role of Spoiler. Finding three singles in the first five batters, they wasted no time bringing a man around home before dispatching Olean with the bases loaded. 

The Oilers acted fast, knotting the game in the bottom of the second off of a wild pitch that saw Keegan McElligott cross home plate. But from there, the stalemate ensued. 

Although their bats continuously put the ball in play and men on base, Olean struggled to find a final, run-scoring slice. Leaving seven runners stranded through the fourth frame, a noticeable pressure began to build. However, Brady Berdine was still buying them time. From the bump, Berdine kept Niagara Falls at bay, notching four early strikeouts while the defense behind him refused to give up real estate past first. 

Coming back up to the batters’ box for Round No. 5, Olean finally broke through. Seeing a new man on the mound, the Oilers also saw two men take the walk to first. Having baserunners on the corner with two outs, a hard cracked single from Brady Smith drove in both Aidan Willard and Chirsto Hunsicker, and although Smith was ultimately tagged out on an attempt to gain second, he had put Olean in front for the first time of the night. 

“We were just waiting for a momentum change. We just needed somebody to come up big and that was Brady Smith,” said Threehouse. “He came up and got a big hit for us and it was great to see. He was struggling a little bit but he stuck with it, got a big hit and got us going.” 

After retiring the Americans in just four in the top of the sixth, the Oilers repeated the feat immediately. Brayden Rader gained a base with a lead-off walk before McElligott laid down a perfectly placed bunt to join him on the baseline. Two batters later, Darek Staudt sent a hard hit shot through the infield and on a subsequent overthrow to first, Olean punched in another score to go up 4-1. 

With the wheels fully turning, Berdine continued to dismiss Niagara Falls as he racked up nine strikeouts and five three-and-outs through the top of the eighth. 

“It was the best game we’ve seen pitched for us all year long. Just fantastic,” said Threehouse. “It was a complete game for (Berdine.) He absolutely pitched a great, great baseball game and that’s the guy we needed at the time.”  

On the other side of the plate, the Oilers’ bats continued to add to their cushion. Holding a 6-1 advantage entering the top of the ninth, Olean’s lead proved too much to overcome, standing bullet proof against the Americans’ short-lived, three-run comeback attempt in the final frame. 

Cooper Tarlie led Olean in hits, nabbing two during his four trips to the box while Smith came away with two RBI and one run scored through his 1-for-3 day at the plate. Willard, Denny Martin, Rader and McElligott also all tallied hits while Berdine ended with 10 strikeouts through nine innings defending the diamond.

“For us, coming into the year, we had expectations to do well. But you never know, you’re in a new league and you don’t know what you’re up against,” said Threehouse. “But the group of guys we brought in here were fantastic. It’s not a surprise to me that we have a chance.” 

However, far from the Oilers’ celebration, rumbles of a comeback began to filter through. After trailing for seven consecutive frames, Elmira found a late burst. Scoring eight unanswered runs in their do-or-die match against Auburn, the Pioneers found a way to keep their playoff berth alive. And in the process, they ended Olean’s. 

AT OLEAN

Niagara 100 000 002 R:3 H:8 E:4

Olean 010 021 02X R:6 H:8 E:2

Niagara: Kroll (5 SO, 5 BB), Mortiz (5) (0 SO, 1 BB), Harmon (7) (0 SO, 2 BB) and Snusz

Olean: Berdine (10 SO, 2 BB) and Smith