May 26, 2012
Box Score
TULSA, Okla. - John Estes went 2-for-4 with an RBI, but Oakland (25-31) lost, 3-2, to hosts Oral Roberts (35-23) on Friday at J.L. Johnson Stadium and was eliminated from The Summit League Championship. The Golden Grizzlies finished 1-2 to place third at the league tournament, equaling the highest finish in school history.
"This has been an incredibly competitive tournament," said head coach John Musachio. "We won a tough game earlier today and then lost tonight in a heart-breaker. That's what we prepare for all year with our tough schedule is to compete in these tough games. I thought we really left it all on the field today."
Oakland scratched out a first-inning lead without the benefit of a hit, as Tim Ryan drew a leadoff walk and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Mike Carson. However, the Golden Eagles had a leadoff double in the bottom of the first and tied the game with a sacrifice fly by Jared Schlehuber.
The Golden Grizzlies nosed back in front 2-1 with a run in the fourth inning. Carson had a leadoff single and then a pair of two-out hits by Spencer Marentette and Estes plated the run. Both Estes and Marentette finished the night 2-for-4 at the plate.
Oakland missed a key opportunity to add to its lead in the fifth inning. After the first two batters reached safely, including a bunt single by Ryan, OU failed to get down a sacrifice bunt and then hit into an inning-ending double play. Both teams struggled to bring in runners as Oakland stranded a total of seven runners and ORU left 13 aboard.
Oral Roberts took advantage of Oakland's missed opportunity in the sixth inning. The first two batters were hit by pitches and came around to score when Kevin Cho singled through a drawn-in infield. The relay throw home was offline and Jake Morton's effort to collect the ball was impeded by the ORU on-deck batter. The runner was called out, limiting the damage, but Oral Roberts gained the lead,3-2.
The bullpen for Oakland threw 2.1 scoreless innings, led by senior Dan Augustine. The right-hander threw two scoreless innings, allowed just one hit and had three strikeouts. Jake Paulson relieved Augustine in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and managed to strikeout Jose Trevino, The Summit League Newcomer of the Year, to keep it a one-run game in the ninth.
The best chance for an Oakland rally came in the seventh inning, when the Golden Grizzlies loaded the bases with two outs. Oral Roberts made the move to the pen and brought on Matt Rush (4) who got a strikeout to end the inning. Rush pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit to earn the save.
Starter Hayden Fox (2-7) was the losing pitcher for OU, going 5.2 innings and scattered eight hits for just two earned runs. ORU starter Kurt Giller (6-4) was the winner, allowing just one earned run over 6.2 innings and posting five strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles outhit the Golden Grizzlies 9-7. Cam Schiller and Nate Goro had two hits each for ORU to match the efforts of Marentette and Estes.
Oakland finished the regular season in second place and had the highest Summit League winning-percentage (.714) in school history. Ryan played in his school-record 207th game and hit .333 for the tournament. The Golden Grizzlies had 10 seniors on the team.
"More important than any of the individual performances is what a special team this was," concluded Musachio. "This was a special group of seniors and I'll be sad to see them go. They've certainly left their mark on Oakland baseball and have accomplished things that no team in school history has accomplished. Hopefully we can build on what they've done and use it as a springboard moving forward."
-OAKLAND-
