Feb. 21, 2009
Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. - Senior Justin Wilson went 3-for-6 with six RBIs, senior Dan Ryan drove in three runs, and freshman Tim Ryan went 3-for-3 with four RBIs to lead the Oakland University baseball team (1-0) to a come-from-behind 17-6 win over Eastern Kentucky in the season opener on Saturday at Turkey Hughes Field.
The day's second game was postponed due to weather and will be made up as part of a Sunday doubleheader.
"Our senior leadership really showed today," said head coach John Musachio. "We were pretty sloppy early, but the team kept their composure. Matt LaMothe and Andrew Estes did an exceptional job out of the bullpen for us. It was a nice start to the season against a quality program like EKU."
The Golden Grizzlies got off to a rough start as EKU chased starter Shane McCatty after 1.2 innings of work, tagging the senior with four hits and five runs, four earned. McCatty also also issued four walks.
With the Colonels clinging to a 5-0 lead in the third inning, the Golden Grizzlies began their rally, getting on the board when Wilson clobbered a three-run homer to pull OU to within 5-3. OU scored its fourth run on an error, and knotted the game at 5-5 when Ryan hit an RBI single.
EKU pulled ahead 6-5 on an RBI grounder in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Oakland blew the game wide open in the top of the fifth, as senior Rob Merkle hit an RBI single to knot the game at 6-6, and then OU took a 7-6 lead on an error. Tim Ryan smashed a three-run double to set the score at 10-6, and at the end of the inning the Golden Grizzlies had tacked on a total of nine runs on seven hits to pull ahead 14-6.
OU added three more in the eighth inning as Tim Ryan tacked on another RBI double and Wilson drove in a pair after smashing a single up the middle. Meanwhile, the OU bullpen held the lead, as LaMothe combined with junior Andrew Estes to shut the Colonels down after the rough start.
LaMothe went 3.1 innings, allowing two hits and one run while fanning four to pick up the win in his first college game, while Estes tossed three scoreless frames, scattering two hits and two walks while fanning two.
Sophomore Tommy Jablonski had three hits and scored three runs in the OU win, while senior Andrew Stafford had two hits. Merkle also picked up a pair of hits. OU was a perfect 5-of-5 in stolen bases.
The Golden Grizzlies will conclude their three-game set against Eastern Kentucky with a noon doubleheader on Sunday. A nine-inning and seven-inning game will be played.
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