Box Score
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ???C Juniors Rob Merkle and Andrew Stafford both picked up three hits, while freshmen Eric Ogg and Scott Sexton, junior Taylor Traub, and senior Dustin Joffrion all turned in two-hit performances as the Oakland University baseball team (8-14) picked up an 11-5 victory over Chicago State at Frank Eck Stadium on the University of Notre Dame campus on Wednesday. Stafford opened scoring for the Golden Grizzlies in the bottom of the first inning, smashing an RBI double down the left field line. OU tacked on runs after an RBI grounder by junior Dan Ryan and a sacrifice fly by Sexton to take a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Chicago State pulled to within 3-2 after a two run third inning, but the Golden Grizzlies immediately responded by plating five runs in the bottom of the frame, kicked off by a leadoff homer by Stafford. A two-run triple by Joffrion, an RBI grounder by Keith Kampe, and a solo homer by Brett Geschke pushed the OU lead to 8-2. Sexton smashed an RBI single up the middle in the fourth inning to extend the Golden Grizzlies lead to 9-2, but the Cougars responded with a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull to within 9-5. The Golden Grizzlies added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, as Merkle hit an RBI double and Stafford added a sacrifice fly. The Cougars went scoreless in the ninth inning to seal the OU victory. Sophomore Andrew Estes (2-2) picked up the win after scattering six hits over five innings, allowing three earned runs and issuing three walks. Freshmen Jeff Gorecki and John Large and sophomore Chad Yinger all tossed scoreless innings in relief. The Golden Grizzlies will return to action this weekend, opening a four-game Summit League series against Centenary on Friday, April 18. First pitch from the OU Baseball Field is set for 3 p.m. -30-