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Northwest Indiana Oilmen Feature Local Talent

06/03/2013 12:38 PM -

Northwest Indiana Oilmen Roster Feature Local Talent

Whiting, Indiana – May 29, 2013 – This summer, the Northwest Indiana Oilmen of the Midwest Collegiate League will feature a Region flavor with a roster that includes 12 players with roots in Northwest Indiana.  For the second consecutive year, Oil City Stadium will be a melting pot for former local high school stars that have gone on to continue their baseball success at the collegiate level. 

Left-handed pitcher Jimmy McNamara, a Lake Central 2012 graduate and current Central Michigan left-hander, will anchor the Oilmen pitching staff this summer.  McNamara tossed a three-hit shutout in the Class 4A State Championship to lift the Indians to a 1-0 victory over Roncalli.  Prep Baseball Report ranked McNamara in the top 20 high school players in the state of Indiana.  McNamara was the 2012 Northwest Indiana Times co-Player of the Year and the 2012 Post-Tribune Player of the Year. Other accolades that McNamara racked up during high school include being named to the All-Duneland Athletic Conference team and the All-Indiana Top 20 Midwest Crossroads Baseball Series. 

McNamara will have a familiar face behind him this season in infielder Cody Dykema, who played with McNamara at Lake Central. Dykema, a sophomore at Heartland Community College, returns to the Oilmen as the reigning Midwest Collegiate League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.  Dykema posted a .366 average with 22 RBIs a year ago.

Hanover Central product Andy Wellwerts is also back for his second season with the Oilmen after getting the start in the second game of the MCL Championship Series last season.  Wellwerts led Chicago State in earned run average, wins and innings pitched this past season. 

Pitchers Matt and Danny Pobereyko will become the first pair of brothers to play for the Oilmen.  Matt pitched this spring at Kentucky Wesleyan College, while Danny just concluded his senior year of high school at Bishop Noll.  Matt went 52-17 over his junior and senior seasons with the Warriors.  Danny has selected Butler University as his college destination after being sought after by Indiana State, Ohio, Murray State, Harvard, West Point and St. Joseph’s College.  Danny led his Bishop Noll Warriors to a 7-0 victory over River Forest in the Class 2A Sectional Championship game on May 27 at Oil City Stadium.  Noll plays on Saturday, June 1 in the Regional, which is also hosted at Oil City Stadium.

Right handed pitcher Scott Jerge was a Second Team All-Conference and All-Area Honorable Mention as a member of the Munster Mustangs.  He has continued his career in Northwest Indiana at Valparaiso University, where he redshirted this past season. 

Gavit graduate Aveeno Nasiloski will also play for the Oilmen this summer.  As a senior with the Gladiators, Nasiloski was named to the Post-Tribune All-Area First Team, the Great Lakes Athletics Conference First Team and was a Mr. Baseball candidate.  He hit a robust .464 with 22 home runs and 22 runs batted in as a senior.

Josh Negele, the ace of the 2012 MCL champion Oilmen, is back for his second summer with the squad.  The Crown Point High School graduate and Indiana State University southpaw posted a 1.09 earned run average in the 2012 MCL season. 

Kenny Mahala joins his collegiate teammate and returning Oilmen infielder Cody Dykema on this year's roster. The Highland native had an excellent year at Heartland Community College, batting .298 with six home runs and 39 RBIs, ranking in the top two in both categories on the team.  In high school, Mahala led Andrean to back-to-back state championships in 2009 and 2010 as well as four straight sectional titles.  Last summer, Mahala played in the MCL with the Illinois Lincolns, hitting .273 with 22 RBIs in 22 games. 

Another former Andrean 59er is pitcher Mike Hanchar, who is playing collegiately at national junior college baseball power Iowa Western Community College. 

Lowell graduate Craig Austgen is back for his second go-around with Northwest Indiana after hitting .296 a season ago.  Austgen amassed eight multi-hit games this season as a junior at St. Joseph’s College. 

Jim Hinkleman is another Oilmen returnee from the inaugural championship season.  He tossed 25 innings at Triton as a sophomore this season, where he led the starting staff with an earned run average of 4.32.

OILMEN BASEBALL...THERE’S ENERGY IN TOWN!