April 24, 2009

ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland University softball team (19-25) will continue its Big Ten road swing this Sunday, April 26, for a non-conference doubleheader with No. 12 Ohio State (36-7). Game time is set for 2 p.m. and can be followed on Gametracker at www.ougrizzlies.com.

The Golden Grizzlies have won 5 of 6 games heading into this weekend, led by senior Julie Owen's eighth-inning heroics as she blasted a home run to lift OU past Michigan State 4-3 on Thursday. Owen leads the nation in hit-by-pitch category with 19, and ranks 23rd in the country with a .517 on-base percentage.

Senior Jessica Granger leads Oakland in the circle with a 14-12 record. Granger ranks second in The Summit League with 170 strikeouts, boasting six shutouts and a 2.44 earned run average.

Senior Caitlin Lynch had her 6-game hitting streak snapped in game two on Thursday versus the Spartans, but she has reached base safely in eight straight games. Lynch has pushed her batting average to .297 and has driven in 18 runs, with three home runs.

Sophomore Alyssa Deacon tied the single-season school record with 16 stolen bases in 23 attempts. She is followed closely by junior teammate Anne Cicchini who has only been thrown out once, 15-for-16 this year.

Oakland is 1-10 all-time versus Ohio State in the all-time series. The two teams have not met since the 2007 season, where the Buckeyes swept OU, 9-1 (5) and 5-0, in Columbus. OSU has won eight straight in the series, with the Grizzlies taking the opening game of a doubleheader in 2001, 4-2.

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