April 10, 2011
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Sophomore Russell Luxton threw a complete game and senior D.J. Jarrad nearly hit for the cycle as the Oakland University baseball team (6-15, 1-3) beat IPFW (8-16, 3-1) 12-2 before losing 9-7 on Sunday as the teams split a Summit League doubleheader at Mastodons Field. The Golden Grizzlies lost three of four to the Mastodons over the weekend series.
"I was very pleased with our energy and intensity all day today," said Oakland head coach John Musachio. "I think that the first game was an example of an outstanding pitching performance by Russell Luxton and top-level effort by our entire lineup."
Jarrad went 3-for-5 and was a double short of hitting for the cycle as Oakland pounded out 12 runs on 13 hits. It was more support than Luxton (2-0) would need as he threw a complete seven innings and allowed just one earned run, while striking out three batters.
Senior Tim Ryan scored in the first inning to give OU the lead and the Golden Grizzlies added three more runs in the second. Sophomore Todd Dunham scored as he and Ryan executed a double-steal then Jarrad drove in Ryan with an RBI-triple before coming in to score on a sacrifice fly by senior Tommy Jablonski.
Jarrad had a two-run home run in the third as OU broke the game open with four more runs to take an 8-0 lead. The Golden Grizzlies had another four-run inning in the fifth, with senior Aaron Wick hitting a 2-RBI single to make it 10-0. Sophomore Kyle Bobolts had an RBI-single before senior Ryan Waldhart brought Wick in to score with a sacrifice fly.
Ryan finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Bobolts and junior Aaron Cieslak were both 2-for-4. Wick was 1-for-3 and drove in two runs. No batter in the IPFW lineup had more than one hit, while starter Patrick Moorman (0-4) suffered the loss after throwing just 2.2 innings.
In game two, the Golden Grizzlies surrendered five runs in the first inning but battled back to make it close by scoring four runs in the seventh inning of the 9-7 loss. Ryan led the Golden Grizzlies with a 3-for-4 effort scoring twice and driving in two runs.
"It's difficult when you dig yourself an early deficit like that" said Musachio. "But our guys kept attacking and battling."
Trailing 9-3 in the top of the seventh and final inning, Oakland loaded the bases with no outs. Jablonski brought in a run and then Cieslak hit a 3-run homer to pull OU within two runs. The Golden Grizzlies had 11 hits in the game, but were outdone by IPFW which had 14.
After falling behind 7-0, OU struck for a pair of runs in the third inning with Ryan hitting a single up the middle to score Waldhart. Ryan eventually scored by stealing home as Jarrad let himself get caught in a rundown at second base. Ryan added a second RBI-single in the fifth inning to make it 9-3.
Ryan led Oakland, while Waldhart was 2-for-3 and scored two runs. For IPFW both A.J. Christensen and Nate Thomas were 3-for-4, while Steve Danielak was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Wick (2-4) took the loss for Oakland, while Samuel Walker (3-2) earned the win for IPFW. Danielak came in and struck out the final two batters for OU to record his first save of the season.
Oakland returns to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Michigan State starting at 3:05 p.m.
-OAKLAND-
