The Northwest Indiana Oilmen had no intention of driving to Lemont for a possible Game 3 of the Midwest Collegiate League Championship Series.
Starting pitcher Christian Howell made sure that road trip wasn’t necessary.
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“It’s been a long summer,” Howell said. “We’re all tired and beaten up — we were ready to wrap up the season.”
His eight-inning outing led the Oilmen to their third MCL title with a 6-3 win over the DuPage County Hounds on Saturday night at Oil City Stadium in Whiting.
Howell was in a similar situation two years ago, starting at home in Game 2 of the final round against the Hounds.
“I just told (Oilmen manager Adam Enright) to let me go,” Howell said. “I’d give it everything I had.”
And he did just that, picking up the win by allowing one earned run on six hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts.
It was also served as redemption for Howell’s last start, when he was chased after four innings in Game 1 of the MCL semifinals against the Southland Vikings on Tuesday night.
“For him to be that dominant — you couldn’t have written it up any better for that to be his last start, having pitched for us for four years,” Enright said.
Oilmen catcher Jake Perreira, who was behind the plate for most of Howell’s outings this summer, said that was the performance he’s come to expect.
“He’s always the same guy, whenever he’s out there,” Perreira said of Howell. “He just had his stuff (on Saturday).”
Perreira took care of any run support that Howell needed, starting in the first inning. After shortstop Jake Plastiak drove in a run with a groundout, Perreira hit a two-run single off the brick wall in left field to give the Oilmen a 3-0 lead.
Perreira picked up another RBI with a single in the fifth, part of a three-run rally that put the Oilmen ahead 6-0. Perreira also walked twice, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances to raise his on-base percentage in four playoff games to a team-best .778.
“I was pulling my head a little bit towards the end of the season,” he said. “And I corrected it by keeping my front shoulder in, which helped me stay on the ball longer and get some hits.”
DuPage scored three times in the eighth, but Howell kept the Hounds from getting any closer by leaving two runners on base. When he returned to the dugout, Howell said there was no argument about going out for the last inning.
“I’ve known Adam long enough that he knows how to deal with me,” Howell said of Enright. “(When) he shakes my hand, I can’t convince him (to let me stay in) anymore.”
It wasn’t an issue, as Hebron native Chad Patrick and Oilmen closer Pedro Rodriguez combined to record the final three outs, securing the Oilmen’s third league title in the franchise’s seven seasons.
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.