Box Score Shreveport, La. (May 11, 2007) ???C Southern Utah used the power of the home run against Oakland in the first game of the Mid-Continent Conference Softball Tournament for the Golden Grizzlies this afternoon, scoring all of its runs via the long ball in a 9-0 win. The Thunderbirds hit four out of the yard to send OU into the loser???s bracket in the double-elimination tournament. After a pair of scoreless innings, Southern Utah (27-29) got on the board in the third inning. After one was down, the Thunderbirds got a double and then a home run Marci Pratt to make it 2-0. Lindi Kennedy then followed with a solo shot to increase the lead to 3-0. In the fourth SUU struck with the long ball again when Cassie Cresswell connected on another two-run shot that chased Oakland starter Jessica Granger (Troy, Mich.). Oakland (19-35) threatened in the fifth, loading the bases when its first three hitters reached base. Cheron Guyton (Detroit, Mich.) singled to start things off. Angela Righetti (East Tawas, Mich.) lined one to right that SUU had a play at second on, but the Thunderbird shortstop dropped the ball for an error. Stephanie Schall (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) then walked to load the bases. Southern Utah starter Krsitina Brooks then got out of the jam, getting a pair of fielder???s choice plays from the next two OU hitters on which the lead runner was thrown out at home. She then retired the final hitter on a pop-up to end the threat. Southern Utah then ended it the next inning, getting three straight singles before Bobbi Jo Merrill put one over the fence for a grand slam to end the game. Oakland will now move on to play host Centenary at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.