Oilers pick up walk-off victory over Texarkana

The season may be in its infancy, but if the first two games are any indication, the El Dorado Oilers could be in for a bigger year in 2022 than a year ago when they won 27 games thanks to terrific pitching.

A day after Jacob Eubanks and Jonah Davis collaborated on a six-hitter in a 3-1 season-opening win over Arkansas Pulpwood, Josh Saulsbury fired a two-hit shutout to lead the Oilers past Texarkana 1-0 in pool play Friday at the Harrison Financial Invitational.

Saulsbury, who walked four and struck out two, needed only 99 pitches to go the distance, but the Oilers couldn't muster any offense until the bottom of the seventh when they won the game in walk-off fashion.

With one out, Hunter Lawrence was hit with a 3-1 pitch and Chase Brumley followed with a four-pitch walk to put runners at first and second.

Justin Dumas followed with a single to left to load the bases, setting the stage for Sawyer Cropper, who laced the first pitch to right for a base hit to bring home Lawrence with the winning run.

Cropper added a single in the third to finish 2-for2 for the Oilers, who had five hits. He also stole a base.

Dumas had two hits of his own, adding a double to finish 2-for-3.

Tyler Johnson went 1-for-3 with a double in the contest.

Defensively, Saulsbury got plenty of help from Tanner McLelland, who had seven putouts in left field.

In their first two wins, Oilers pitching has yet to allow an earned run while surrendering just eight hits.

The Oilers are slated to wrap up pool play on Saturday with the finals scheduled to be held on Sunday.