April 23, 2009
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior Julie Owen homered in the eighth inning, finishing 2-for-4, with three runs batted in, and senior Jessica Granger (14-12) went the distance, striking out five and allowing three earned runs, to lead Oakland University (19-25) to a split with Michigan State (16-25), 1-5 and 4-3 (8), on Thursday in softball action at Old College Field.
The Golden Grizzlies snapped a six-game losing streak to the Spartans and won at MSU for just the second time ever. Sophomore Marisa Everitt drove in the other run for OU, finishing 1-for-4. Senior Stephanie Schall finished the day with a team-high three hits, going 3-for-5.
Everitt (2-4) took the loss in the circle in the opener, working 2.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run and struck out four. Senior Caitlin Lynch was 2-for-3 in the first game, and flashed the leather in the nightcap, making several nice defensive plays for the Golden Grizzlies.
In game one, the Spartans broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning as Lindsey Hansen lined one that went in and out of Tansel's glove for a base hit, scoring the runner from third base with two outs as OU trailed 1-0 after three innings of play.
MSU's Brett Williams extended the Spartans lead to two runs with a solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Hansen struck again for Michigan State in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-out single up the middle to plate two more runs as the Golden Grizzlies fell down by four runs, 4-0.
The Spartans tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a triple by Melanie Bensema, scoring on a throwing error by the OU second baseman. The Grizzlies scored their only run of the game in the seventh inning as Lynch singled and scored on a triple to left-center field by Everitt as OU fell by a final score of 5-1.
Oakland had one run, five hits and committed one error, while MSU scored five runs, on 11 hits and had no errors.
In game two, Williams drove in two runs in the first inning with a double to the fence in left-center field with two outs to give the Spartans an early 2-0 lead.
The Golden Grizzlies loaded the bases in the second inning on a double by freshman Leah DiCristofaro, junior Haley Emerson walked and Schall singled to center field. Sophomore Alyssa Deacon then hit one to left field that looked like was going over the Spartan left fielder's head, but she tracked it down over her head to prevent the Grizzlies from breaking through as the game moved to the third inning.
MSU's Kara Weigle led off the third inning with a solo home run to right-center field to push the Spartans lead to three, 3-0, after three innings of play.
OU tied the game in the fifth inning as Owen drove in two runs with a double to right field with the bases loaded and Everitt singled up the middle to drive in the final run as the game became tied at 3-3.
MSU looked like they would win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning as Gina Mondo doubled to right-center field and the OU outfielders collided at the warning track, but Schall bounced up and threw a strike to Owen who relayed the throw to home plate recording the second out, then junior Angela Righetti fired a bullet to third base to get Mondo trying to advance as the game headed to extra innings tied at three.
Owen then led off the top of the eighth inning with a home run to left field, her fourth of the season, to give the Golden Grizzlies their first lead of the game, 4-3.
Oakland scored four runs, on six hits and had one error, while Michigan State scored three runs, on 10 hits and had no errors.
The Golden Grizzlies will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the 12th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (36-7) this Sunday, April 25. The non-conference doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. ET and can be followed on Gametracker at www.ougrizzlies.com.
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