CLASS A2 No. 7 OLEAN (7-8) at No. 2 MARYVALE (15-5), Saturday, noon
Junior Austin Miles has starred for an Olean team that is looking to make some playoff noise starting against ECIC 3 champion Maryvale.
“Looking into what I know about Maryvale and what I can find, they are obviously a very solid team,” Olean coach Les DeGolier said. “Good pitching, their top of the order can hit the ball. We are going to make sure their defense works.”
Miles has hit .452 and also has a 2.74 ERA. Olean likes to use others on the mound too as they have offered plenty of pitching options, with three players logging over 23 innings and two others with 11 or more. Top slugger Chase Vogtli is also notable with a team high 1.366 OPS with two home runs and 12 RBIs.
“One of the things that I feel has improved over the year has been our ability to put the ball in play,” DeGolier said. “Every at bat has to be a quality at bat whether we are moving somebody over or drawing a walk.”
Olean is looking to get to the Section 6 semifinal after getting bounced in the quarterfinal last season after winning the CCAA 1.
“To win the sectional championship we will have to beat three very good teams, unless there is a major upset,” DeGolier said. “You are not going to find a hole in this bracket.”
DeGolier did not name a starting pitcher but said that he will ride whoever he thinks has their best stuff that day. “With tomorrow being a do or die situation, if you don’t have it and are struggling, we are just going to move to the next guy and get outs.”
“Tomorrow is No. 2 vs 7, but I don’t think there is a big difference between our two teams. If we play well and we don’t come out on top I will still be very happy with that.”
