May 4, 2014
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
ROCHESTER, Mich. - Erika Polidori was 3-for-4 with four runs, three walks, and was hit twice by a pitch while Sarah Hartley was 4-for-8 with a double and a triple as Oakland (16-23, 5-9 HL) split a pair of contests with UIC (14-26, 8-10 HL) in its last home games of the season and Senior Day. Brittany Prior also had four RBI on the day and Shannon Cleveland earned three.
The Flames opened up the scoring for the first game in the top of the second inning on a two-out, three-run home run, making the score 3-0 early. Oakland would answer when Chelsea Carena hit an RBI single up the middle to begin closing in on UIC's lead, 3-1. UIC would add one more run in the top of the third inning, regaining its three-run advantage at 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, OU began a productive inning when Cleveland put a bunt down, allowing Courtney Wroubel to score. Then, Morgan Muron put a ball sky-high for the sacrifice fly to score Courtnee Johnson and Hartley singled up the middle to score Cleveland. After three complete, the score was tied, 4-4. In the top of the fifth, the Flames loaded the bases on its first three batters of the inning and proceeded to knock a bases-clearing triple followed by an RBI single for the 8-5 lead. Two more runs would come from the visitors in the frame for what would ultimately become a 10-5 victory.
For the nightcap, the Golden Grizzlies struck first with a run in the bottom of the initial frame - Prior sac flied to right field to score Polidori. They added another run in the bottom of the second when bases were loaded to Jackie Kisman, who recorded an RBI single. Bases remained full for Carena to score on a wild pitch and Prior to clear the bases with a single to right field and the 5-0 lead. Johnson got on base with a single and Cleveland cleared the bases once more with a triple to right helping increase the margin to 7-0.
UIC got five runs back in the top of the third inning after a handful of hits to narrow OU's lead to 7-5. The Grizzlies would add one run in the bottom of the third and the Flames added two in the top of the fifth, bringing the score to 8-7 in favor of the home team. One more run for Oakland in the bottom of the fifth followed by one for the Flames in the top of the sixth would yield a 9-8 score. Tough Oakland defense would keep it that way to end the game with the win.
In game one, Erin Kownacki (7-14) started in the circle and was credited with the loss, surrendering nine runs on nine hits with one walk and one strikeout. Bailee Braunreuther came in to relieve and threw three innings, giving up one unearned run with two hits, one walk and a strikeout. For the second game, Laura Pond earned the start, going two innings with four runs on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts. Kaley Waalkes (8-5) would relieve and earn the win by giving up four runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
#FightOakland
