May 2, 2009

Box Score

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Senior Jessica Granger (19-13) tossed a complete game, giving up just one earned run and struck out six, senior Julie Owen was hit three times and went 2-for-2, senior Roberta Ches finished 2-for-3, with a double, triple and four runs batted in, and senior Stephanie Schall went 3-for-4, with two runs scored and a stolen base, to lead Oakland University (24-27, 12-11) to series sweep over South Dakota State University (10-41, 6-17), 9-3, on Saturday at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.

"We really played great softball over the final month of the season," said OU coach Glenn MacDonald. "We did what we needed to do this weekend and I could not be prouder of these seniors and how they performed in their final game."

Senior Caitlin Lynch drove in two runs for the Golden Grizzlies, going 1-for-4 with a double. Sophomore Alyssa Deacon tallied three hits for OU, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

The Golden Grizzlies loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first inning, but could not get a run across as SDSU's Jenna Marston picked up a big strikeout and ground out to keep Oakland off the scoreboard. The Jackrabbits got on the board first in the bottom half of the first inning on an error by the second baseman as SDSU led 1-0.

OU responded with five runs in the second inning, highlighted by two-run RBI doubles by Lynch and Ches as the Grizzlies took their first lead of the game 5-1. SDSU countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Ashley Durazo singled to left-center field to drive in a run as the lead fell back to three, 5-2.

Ches drove in a two runs with a triple, junior Anne Cicchini drove in a run with a single to center field and Schall and Deacon each had hits and stole bases in the third inning to increase Oakland's lead to seven, 9-2.

The Jacks scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a muffed throw by the shortstop with runners on first and third on a steal, allowing the runner from third to score an unearned run as the Golden Grizzlies led by six after four innings of play, 9-3.

OU scored nine runs, on 12 hits and committed three errors, while SDSU had three runs, 10 hits and three errors.

The Golden Grizzlies end the season on a five-game winning streak. Oakland finished 16-10 in its final 26 games, including series wins over UMKC (2-1), Southern Utah (2-1), Centenary (2-1) and South Dakota State (3-0). OU also picked up big in-state wins over Central Michigan (8-0) and Michigan State (4-3) during that stretch.

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