May 15, 2009

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box
SHREVEPORT, La. - Senior Andrew Stafford collected six hits on the day, while sophomore Scott Sexton went 4-for-6 in the opening game as the Oakland University baseball team (21-34, 9-18 Summit League) picked up a doubleheader split against Centenary (33-16, 15-10 Summit League), winning the opener 20-4 before falling 5-3 in the nightcap on Friday at Shehee Stadium.

After Centenary got a quick two outs in the first inning of the opening game, the Golden Grizzlies used back-to-back singles by Stafford and fellow senior Taylor Traub to put runners at the corners. After Stafford scored on a wild pitch, Sexton singled Traub home to give OU an early 2-0 lead. Senior Rob Merkle followed with an RBI single to gave OU a 3-0 lead after one inning.

The Golden Grizzlies got right back into the swing of things offensively in the second inning, as after a leadoff single by sophomore Dan Gliot, sophomore Ryan Waldhart belted an RBI double to push the OU lead to 4-0. Waldhart later scored on an error, and Stafford added an RBI single, giving OU a 6-0 lead after just two innings. After the two teams traded scoreless third innings, Oakland exploded in the fourth inning, using an RBI single by Stafford, a two-run single by Traub, a two-run grounder by senior Dan Ryan, and an RBI double by Sexton to plate six runs, giving OU a 12-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.

Centenary broke through in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to pull to within 12-2, but Oakland responded once again in the top of the fifth, using a bases-loaded double by Gliot to push ahead 15-2.

The Gents cut their deficit to 15-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but Oakland came clawing back in the top of the sixth, using a sacrifice fly by Traub and a two-run blast by Sexton to push the OU lead to a commanding 18-3. After Centenary came back with a run in the bottom of the eighth, Oakland responded with a two-run ninth, using a solo shot by Dan Ryan and an RBI single by freshman Tim Ryan to push the lead to the final margin.

Stafford, Traub, and Dan Ryan each had three hits in the victory, while Gliot, Waldhart, and Tim Ryan each had two. Sophomore Aaron Wick picked up the win, improving to 4-4 on the year after allowing seven hits in 6.0 innings of work, walking two and fanning two. Sophomore Mark Leichtman picked up his first save after allowing one run on two hits in three innings.

In the nightcap, it was the Gents jumping ahead early, using a solo homer by Cliff Shepard in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. The Gents added a run in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth to pull ahead 5-0 going into the seventh.

However, Oakland got on the board on an RBI double by Tim Ryan, and pulled to within 5-2 after a sacrifice fly by Waldhart. Stafford cut the Centenary lead to 5-3 after a two-out RBI single loaded the bases, however, the Golden Grizzlies were unable to get the tying run home.

Freshman Matt LaMothe suffered the loss, falling to 4-4 on the year after allowing five runs, four earned, in 6.0 innings of work. Stafford had three hits in the nightcap while Merkle added two.

The Golden Grizzlies and Gents will conclude the 2009 regular season with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday at Shehee Stadium.

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