April 1, 2009
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Seniors Andrew Stafford and Taylor Traub both picked up three hits, while senior Justin Wilson and sophomore Tommy Jablonski both picked up two, but it was not enough for the Oakland University baseball team (7-13) as the Michigan Wolverines (17-8) used a nine-run fifth inning, coupled with timely late hitting to pick up a 14-13 win over the Golden Grizzlies on Wednesday at the Wilpon Baseball Complex.
The Golden Grizzlies broke through early, getting on the board in the top of the second with an RBI double by senior Rob Merkle. Oakland pushed its lead to 2-0 on an RBI grounder by freshman John Estes.
After freshman starter Connor Mielock shut down the Wolverines in the bottom of the frame, the Golden Grizzlies exploded for six runs in the top of the third. OU led off with a pair of singles by Wilson and Jablonski. After Stafford reached on a fielder's choice, Wilson scored on a balk to give OU a 3-0 lead. After a walk and a single by Merkle, the bases were loaded for Traub.
Traub hit an RBI grounder to push the OU lead to 4-0, and after a subsequent walk to sophomore D.J. Jarrad to load the bases once again, Estes was beaned to bring home the fifth OU run of the game. Freshman Tim Ryan drew a bases-loaded walk to push the Oakland lead to 6-0, before senior Justin Wilson smashed a two-run single to give the Golden Grizzlies an 8-0 lead after the top of the third inning.
Michigan jumped on the board in the bottom of the third inning, plating a pair of runs to pull to within 8-2. The Wolverines added one more in the fourth to cut the margin to 8-3, before exploding for nine runs on nine consecutive hits in the bottom of the fifth to pull ahead 12-8.
The Golden Grizzlies responded in the top of the sixth as senior Dan Ryan drove in a run with a grounder to pull Oakland to within 12-9, but the Wolverines came right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run to push the lead back to four (13-9).
In the seventh inning, however, the Golden Grizzlies' offense got going yet again. OU loaded the bases with none out, but the Wolverines quickly got Tim Ryan to fly out to left, and then Wilson went down swinging to put two outs on the board. However, Jablonski drew a bases-loaded walk to pull Oakland to within 13-10, and then Stafford hit a bases-clearing single, aided by an error that would see the senior safely to third base. However, Stafford would make it no further and the Golden Grizzlies would have to settle for a tie game after the top of the seventh.
Michigan reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth, as Mike Dufek smashed a two-out RBI double to center, giving the Wolverines a 14-13 lead, and the Golden Grizzlies were unable to muster any offense in the ninth inning as the Wolverines held on for the win.
Greg Welke fell to 2-3 on the season, suffering the loss after going 1.2 innings, and allowing one earned run on one hit. Both Wilson and Stafford drove in a pair of runs.
The Golden Grizzlies will return to action on Saturday, April 4, opening Summit League play, as they host a doubleheader against Western Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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