March 26, 2010

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

ST. GEORGE, Utah - It was going to take more than a spring snowfall and venue change in Utah to slow down the Golden Grizzlies in the front end of their doubleheader, as freshman Dani Dulberg went 2-3 in game one and tied a school record with six RBI as Oakland University softball team (9-20, 2-3 Summit League) took an 11-8 victory over Southern Utah (6-21, 2-6 Summit League) Friday afternoon at Karl Brooks Field. OU lost the night cap by a score of 5-3.

After OU got on the board first in game one off an illegal pitch in the top of the first, Southern Utah countered with a run of its own to knot the game up 1-1 after one inning of play. The Golden Grizzlies then got a boost from Dulberg in the third, who brought in three runs with her double to centerfield to give Oakland a 4-1 lead.

SUU began to chip away at the lead, scoring two runs over the course of two innings to bring the score to 4-3, but was offset by another double by Dulberg, bringing in two more runs for a 6-3 score at the top of the fifth.Southern Utah refused to relent, however, and tied the game up 6-6 with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The cold weather certainly didn't have an effect on Oakland's bats, however, as the Golden Grizzlies went on a five-run tear in the sixth inning, capped off by a triple from senior Audrey Sabourin, to bring the score to 11-6. Southern Utah notched two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough to pry to the lead from OU, as the Black and Gold took the 11-8 victory.

Sophomore Brittany Doyle (6-9) was the pitcher of record for OU, striking out two batters and walking three in the win. Kristina Brooks (1-5) was credited with the loss, allowing six hits and seven runs. Oakland scored 11 runs off seven hits with three errors, while SUU scored eight runs off 12 hits, committing one error.

In the nightcap, Oakland struck first once again with a two-run first inning, thanks to a double to right field by senior Haley Emerson and Dulberg reaching home on a fielder's choice for an early 2-0 lead. But a three-run homer by Whitnie Griffith in the bottom of the first and two singles in the second put Southern Utah on top 5-2.

Sophomore Leah DiCristofaro knocked out a single-run home run to left center in the fifth inning to make the score 5-3, but the Golden Grizzlies' attempt at a comeback would go no further, as they were unable to get on the board again to seal the game's 5-3 final score.

Junior Marisa Everitt (2-6) was recorded with the loss after five runs off nine hits, with three of those runs earned in two innings. Katie Kearns (5-11) earned the win allowing three runs and fanning two batters. Oakland scored three runs off eight hits, committing three errors, while SUU scored five runs off 12 hits with three errors.

Oakland will wrap up the series with the Thunderbirds on Saturday, March 27 with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. EST.

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