March 22, 2009
Box Score
MACOMB, Ill. - Junior Angela Righetti went 2-for-3, scoring two runs and driving in two, and senior Jessica Granger (5-7) earned a no decision, working 4.0 innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs and fanned one, but it was not enough to help the Oakland University softball team (8-17, 2-4) overcome a big fifth inning by Western Illinois (11-13, 6-0), as the Golden Grizzlies fell 7-5 on Sunday at McKee Stadium, giving WIU the series sweep.
The Golden Grizzlies jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a double by senior Roberta Ches and a single by junior Ashley Sullivan in the top of the second inning. OU would later add to that lead in the top of the third, when Righetti's single drove in two runs to give Oakland a 4-0 advantage.
Western Illinois would cut the lead to 4-3 after a double by Jamie Goss and a home run by Lauren Furgala brought in three runs in the bottom of the third. But a single up the middle by freshman Leah DiCristofaro in the top of the fifth would drive in one more run to give Oakland a 5-3 lead.
The bottom of the fifth proved to rough for Oakland, however, after two costly errors at shortstop and third base helped WIU get back into the game with a three-run inning to bring the score to 6-5. The Westerwinds would add one more run in the sixth inning to make the score 7-5.
Oakland looked ready to rally in the top of the seventh, when senior Julie Owen doubled to the right side, then Caitlin Lynch knocked in a single up the middle to put Owen in scoring position at third. But DiCristofaro grounded into a WIU double play to end the game with the 7-5 final score.
Sophomore Alison Tansel (1-4) was attributed the loss after allowing four runs off four hits from two innings of play. Tansel also walked one batter and tossed one strikeout.
OU scored five runs on seven hits and had two errors, while WIU notched seven runs on nine hits with three errors.
The Golden Grizzlies look to rebound when they open up their home season against UMKC for a three-game series on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 at the OU Softball Field.
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