April 23, 2010
Box Score
Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box
ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies combined for 20 hits over the course of both games and sophomore Kylie Schalz went 4-7, including two doubles, to help the Oakland University softball team (15-26, 7-7 Summit League) take a pair of victories from South Dakota State University (14-29, 6-8 Summit League) by scores of 9-1 (5) and 9-7 Friday afternoon at the OU Softball Field.
"I am very proud of the entire team today," said interim head coach Jane Zimmerman. "We hit the ball well and we did what we needed to do."
After SDSU got on the board first in game one off a bases loaded hit by pitch, the Golden Grizzlies came roaring back in the bottom of the inning with three runs. Senior Ashley Sullivan got into prime scoring position after doubling down the right side and was brought home by a hit from junior Marisa Everitt. Schalz then doubled to left center field to drive home two more runs to bring the score to 3-1.
The Black and Gold sealed the victory with a six-run fury in the fourth inning. Sullivan notched her second double of the game to bring in senior Audrey Sabourin and Everitt hit a two RBI single to bring the score to 6-0. After sophomore Leah DiCristofaro drove in another run, the Golden Grizzlies had two more runners cross home plate on a fielding error by the first baseman to run the score up to 9-1. The Jackrabbits were unable to score in the top of the fifth inning, ending the contest with its 9-1 final.
Everitt (5-7) pitched all five innings, scattering four hits and allowing one earned run and fanning seven batters. Pam Nicholson (3-13) was charged with the loss after allowing four hits and three earned runs, as well as striking out two batters and walking one. The Golden Grizzlies scored nine runs off eight hits with two errors, while SDSU scored one run off four hits, committing one error.
In game two, Schalz smashed a double to center field in the bottom of the second inning to clear the bases and drive in three runs to give Oakland an early 3-0 lead. The Golden Grizzlies continued the offensive onslaught in the third, tallying four hits and four runs. After scoring two runs off a passed ball and a throwing error by the third baseman, junior Danielle Peters doubled to left field, diving in two more runs to increase the OU lead to 7-0.
The Jackrabbits began their climb back onto the scoreboard when Dani Broshar homered to left center and Emily Heairet scored on a passed ball. Greta Stroh's sacrifice bunt allowed one more runner to score, narrowing the lead to 7-3 after four innings.
The Golden Grizzlies tacked on two more runs in the fifth after Everitt doubled to left field and was subsequently brought home on a fielding error by the first baseman. Schalz then singled to second base to give OU a 9-3 lead.
SDSU wasn't ready to go down, however, and tallied two more runs with a single and a sacrifice bunt courtesy of Tina Winter and Stroh to narrow the gap to 9-5. After a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the sixth, the Jacks threatened to close in on the lead when they scored two more runs off a double by Broshar to run the score up to 9-7. Junior Alison Tansel forced two consecutive groundouts in a relief role to secure the 9-7 win for OU.
Sophomore Brittany Doyle (9-12) was the pitcher of record, allowing six runs off 12 hits, four of them earned, and fanning three batters in six innings. Tansel earned her second save on the year, allowing two hits and one earned run. Kori Seidlitz (11-16) was charged with the loss after allowing seven hits, three of them earned, off 10 hits. OU scored nine runs off 12 hits, committing no errors, while SDSU scored seven runs off 14 hits with three errors.
The Golden Grizzlies will close the series out on Saturday, April 24 with a single game scheduled for noon. Action can be followed via Gametracker at www.ougrizzlies.com.
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