STATESBORO, Ga. - The Oakland University softball team (0-1) dropped its opening game of the 2008 season, 10-1, to Georgia Southern (7-8) on Saturday morning at the GSU Eagle Classic. Junior Julie Owen led the Golden Grizzlies at the plate, going 1-for-3, with a home run.

Junior Jessica Granger (0-1) took the loss in the circle for Oakland, working 6.1 innings, allowing 11 hits, eight runs, seven earned runs and fanned four. Freshman Brittany Grys came into the game in relief, recording the final two outs, surrendering three hits and two earned runs.

GSU's Robyn Siliga led the way offensively, going 2-for-3, with four runs batted in, with a grand slam. Melissa Laliberte (3-1) got the win in the circle for the Eagles, limiting the Grizzlies to two hits, one run, while striking out 10.

The game was scoreless through the first two innings, but the Eagles got on the board in the top of the third inning, courtesy of a Grizzly error in center field as OU trailed, 1-0.

The Eagles tallied a two-out run in the top of the fifth inning on a RBI single up the middle by Nina Iduate to increase the lead to two runs, 2-0, after five.

The seventh inning was a disaster for the Golden Grizzlies as GSU pushed eight runs across, on eight hits, including a home run by Amanda Hall and a grand slam by Siliga as the lead advanced to 10 runs.

The Grizzlies fought back with a run in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a leadoff homer by Owen, but the deficit would be too much as the Grizzlies fell by nine.

Oakland will take on the University of Minnesota in game two of the GSU Eagle Classic later today. Game time will be around 12:30 p.m.

-30-