Oakland Squeezes Split From North Dakota State

April 11, 2009

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Sophomore Ryan Waldhart laid down a picture-perfect suicide squeeze bunt with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, to lift the Oakland University baseball team (10-18, 3-4 Summit) to a 2-1 victory over North Dakota State (8-15, 2-4 Summit) in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader on the OU Baseball Field. The win salvaged a doubleheader split for the Golden Grizzlies, who fell 9-0 in the opening game of the day.

The opening game got off to a rocky start, as the first two NDSU batters reached base on errors. However, the Golden Grizzlies were able to get out of the jam without allowing a run. NDSU jumped on the board with a two-run third inning, and scored two more in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh, and two more in the top of the ninth.

Meanwhile, the day after Oakland's offense exploded for 17 runs, the Golden Grizzlies could not get their offense going consistently. OU was held to five hits, and did not get its first hit until the fifth inning. NDSU starter Mark Ries improved to 1-0 on the season, going the distance in the shutout win, walking two and fanning two. Sophomore Greg Welke tossed 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits and five runs, all earned in the loss.

In game two, OU starter Aaron Wick dueled with NDSU hurler John Straka, with the Bison drawing first blood in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Luke Otto. However, the Golden Grizzlies responded in the bottom of the game, knotting the contest on a leadoff homer by sophomore Tommy Jablonski.

Both Wick and Straka settled in after the fourth, and neither OU nor NDSU was able to get a runner past second base until the bottom of the seventh inning. After senior Dan Ryan led off with a single, fellow senior Taylor Traub laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Ryan to second base.

After a wild pitch moved Ryan to third, the Bison intentionally walked both Rob Merkle and Tim Ryan, loading the bases for Waldhart. Waldhart's textbook bunt caught the Bison by surprise, as NDSU was unable to get off a throw to any base, and Dan Ryan scored the game-winning run.

Wick improved to 1-2 on the season, going 7.0 innings and allowing one run on seven hits. The sophomore fanned six.

The Golden Grizzlies will conclude their four-game set with the Bison with a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

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