April 1, 2012

Box Score | Photo Gallery

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Erika Polidori had two hits and drove in a run and Leah DiCristofaro added two base hits, including a double as the Oakland softball team (3-23, 1-11) fell to Western Illinois (20-14, 10-2), 9-1, in the series finale of a Summit League matchup Sunday afternoon at the OU Softball Field.

"We still need to find a way to put everything together as a team," said head coach LaDonia Hughes. "Once we play a complete game and do the little things we will be able to turn it around starting this week as we head to Western Michigan and South Dakota."

Oakland would score its only run of the game in the fifth inning as Abbie Richardson led off with a single and Polidori would drive in a pinch runner with a double to left field.

Brittany Doyle (1-9) suffered the loss, throwing 2.1 innings, giving up five runs, four earned, and struck out two batters. Western Illinois' Kelsey Michelini (11-4) earned the win, throwing a complete game, giving up one earned run, and striking out four batters.

Western Illinois would grab the early lead in the second inning as Emma Jarrell and Sammy Marshall drove in two runs with a pair of singles. In the top of the third inning, the Leathernecks would add three runs in the third inning as Jamie Goss scored on a wild pitch and Hailey Bickford hit a two-RBI double to right-center field.

With the score 5-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Goss and Ashley Campbell hit a pair of RBI doubles and Lia Romeo scored on a fielding error for the final score of 9-1.

Western Illinois's Sammy Marshall became the school's single-season stolen base leader with 44 stolen bases after swiping 3 bases in the game.

The Golden Grizzlies will hit the road this week as they take on Western Michigan in a doubleheader at Ebert Field on Tuesday and South Dakota in a three-game Summit League series Friday and Saturday at Nygard Field. Fans can follow all the action at OUGrizzlies.com.

-OAKLAND-