April 27, 2014

Box Score

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Erika Polidori was 2-for-2 on the day, drove in five runs and crossed the plate three times while Chelsea Carena was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored as Oakland (15-19, 4-5 HL) defeated Youngstown State (26-22, 8-8 HL) on Sunday by a margin of 8-6 to win the three-game series, 2-1. It marks the first Horizon League series-victory for OU.

In the top of the first inning, Youngstown State gained a single run after a hard-hit double for the 1-0 lead. The Golden Grizzlies answered back immediately in the bottom half of the inning with a run of their own on a fielder's choice allowing Polidori to score and tie the game at 1-1. A couple innings later in the bottom of the third, Brittany Prior landed a double in left center to score Polidori and take the 2-1 lead.

A walk for Shannon Cleveland and an infield single from Morgan Muron followed by a strong single to center field from Sarah Hartley would load the bases for OU in the bottom of the fourth. Carena then recorded a bunt single to score a run and Polidori followed with a two-RBI single to take a 5-1 lead after four innings complete.

The Penguins would provide an answer in the top of the sixth inning by gaining five runs on four hits and taking a 6-5 lead. The bottom half of the inning would see Polidori's bat alive once more, however, as she sent a ball sailing out of the park for a three-run homer and the 8-6 lead. Erin Kownacki, who had come in to pitch for Laura Pond in the sixth inning, proceeded to record three straight strikeouts in the top of the seventh to end the game in favor of the Grizzlies.

In the win, Pond recorded 5.2 innings with five runs - three of them earned - on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Kownacki threw 1.1 innings and surrendered one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

#FightOakland