After winning four games in as many days, Martin Oil fell to a familiar foe at home on Monday evening. Martin Oil decisioned Corporal Miller 10-6 at Vets Field on Sunday, but wasn’t able to come up with two wins in a row against the same team. Cpl. Miller started strong with three runs in the top of the first and added three more in the fourth frame, along the way to defeat Martin Oil 8-4.
Jeremy Vogel was hit by a pitch for the fourth time in two days to open the game. Corey Henderson doubled to put runners at second and third. Andy Criste singled to plate Vogel, Henderson scored on a throwing error, and then Casey Wombacher singled to score Criste after he had stolen second base.
In the fourth, designated hitter Buddy Durbin singled, Kenny Snyder singled and with one out, Drew Gehl’s single loaded the bases. Vogel singled to get Durbin home. Henderson drove in Snyder with a base hit, and Criste’s sacrifice fly scored Gehl for a big 6-0 margin.
Martin Oil finally was able to break through with two tallies in the fifth and two in the seventh, but couldn’t get any closer.
Blaze Winterstein reached on an error with one out in the fifth. Alex Miller walked, and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Earnie Kelley singled to right to score both Chad Schilling, courtesy running for Winterstein and Miller.
In the seventh, down 8-2, Kelley drilled his sixth home run of the year to center field. Dustin Harris walked, stole second and scored on a single by Brandon Beech, who advanced to second on the play and to third on a wild pitch. That was as far as Martin Oil could go however.
“We didn’t hit and we didn’t hustle,” was the comment made by Martin Oil assistant coach John Schmittle.
Martin Oil (15-6) travels to Altoona today to Juniata to play the rubber match against Juniata VFW at 6 p.m. Juniata VFW handed Martin Oil their first loss 14-10 on June 13, after six straight wins to open the season. Then Martin Oil doubled up Juniata VFW 12-6 on July 6, at Bellwood.
Corporal Miller 8 Martin Oil 4
Cpl. Miller – Vogel, cf, 3-2-2; Henderson, ss, 3-1-2; Criste, 3b-p, 3-1-2; Wombacher, c, 3-0-1; Potts, cr, 0-0-0; Hookies, 2b, 3-0-0; Purina, cr-ph, 1-0-0; Smith, p-3b, 0-0-0; Durbin, dh, 4-2-1; Snyder, lf, 3-1-0; P. Gaeto, 1b, 4-0-1; Scott, 1b, 0-0-0; Gehl, rf, 4-1-1. TOTALS 31-8-10.
Martin Oil – Kelley, 1b, 4-1-2; Harris, cf, 3-1-0; B. Beech, 2b, 3-0-2; Brunner, p, 4-0-0; C. Alley, ss, 3-0-1; Coho, 3b, 3-0-0; Rabold, rf, 3-0-0; Winterstein, c, 2-0-0; A. Alley, cr, 0-0-0; Schilling, cr, 0-1-0; Miller, lf, 1-1-1; M. Beech, ph, 1-0-0. TOTALS 27-4-6.
Cpl. Miller 300 301 1 8-10-2.
Martin Oil 000 020 2 4 -6-2.
E: Hopkins, Henderson, C. Alley, Winterstein.
2B: Henderson 2, Wombacher, B. Beech.
3B: Vogel.
HR: Kelley.
RBI: Henderson 2, Criste 2, Vogel, Wombacher, P. Gaeto, Kelley 3, B. Beech.
SO: Smith 2, Criste 2, Brunner 4.
BB: Smith 4, Criste 1, Brunner 2.
WP: Smith LP: Brunner.
