Feb. 27, 2009
Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Senior Rob Merkle went 3-for-5, sophomore Dan Gliot went 2-for-4, while catcher Ryan Waldhart went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, but the Oakland University baseball team (1-4) was unable to overcome the timely hitting of Canisius (2-3) in a 9-6 loss at Hayes Stadium.
The game was delayed for 3:45 during the fourth inning due to rain with Canisius holding a 2-0 lead. After play resumed, the Griffins tacked on two more runs, chasing starter Shane McCatty (0-2), who suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits, walking four in 3.0 innings of work. Redshirt freshman Dan Augustine came in to shut down the Griffins in the fourth.
The Golden Grizzlies got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a solo shot by Merkle, but once again the Griffins put together a big inning, scoring three runs on two hits to push their lead to 7-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.
An RBI single by Gliot pulled Oakland to within 7-2, and then in the sixth inning Waldhart hit a solo homer of his own to pull OU to within 7-3. Canisius answered with a two-out rally to plate a run in the top of the seventh, pushing its lead to 8-3, but the Golden Grizzlies were able to cut the deficit to 8-6 after senior Dan Ryan scored on a balk, Merkle added an RBI double, and Waldhart tacked on an RBI single.
However, the Golden Grizzlies would come no closer, going down in order in the eighth and ninth innings while Canisius tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
The Golden Grizzlies will be off until Friday, March 6, when they travel to Dallas to face off against Dallas Baptist for a three-game set. First pitch Friday is set for 4 p.m.
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