After dropping game one of a three-game series against the Southland Vikings, the Northwest Indiana Oilmen have advanced to the Northern League championship series. Wednesday night’s contest featured a dominant pitching performance, with Joey Turek paving the way. The Oilmen have won back-to-back games while facing elimination, and will face the Lake County Corn Dogs in the championship series.  

 The Oilmen commanded every aspect of Wednesday’s game, defeating Southland 10-2. Oilmen starter Joey Turek was phenomenal, allowing four hits and one run through eight innings of work.  

 It was the pitching staff that allowed the Oilmen to take the series. In game two, Oilmen starter Tyler Laux pitched a complete game, allowing just one run. After Laux helped tie the series, Joey Turek finished the job at Oil City Stadium, sending the Oilmen to their sixth straight championship appearance. 

 “Our starting pitching is everything, if you don’t have three or four really good reliable starters, the regular season gets tough, and the postseason is near impossible,” Oilmen manager Adam Enright said.  

 The Oilmen totaled 16 hits against Southland, with six players finishing with multi-hit performances. With a fluctuating lineup as of late, the Oilmen offense provided plenty of run support.  

  “The guys who have stuck it out all year have been a tremendous joy to coach and be around,” Enright said. “They’ve had a lot of energy, and they want to be really good at baseball, so those guys get to go out and play for a championship.” 

 Randy Seymour led the team offensively, finishing the game 3-for-5, with two RBI’s.  

 The Oilmen will take on the Lake County Corn Dogs for a championship series rematch. The Corn Dogs aim to defend their title, whereas the Oilmen look to win their fourth league title.  

Game one begins on Thursday, August 10 at Legacy Fields in Crown Point, Ind. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.