May 24, 2016 ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland baseball team will travel to the Horizon League Championship this week in search of its first Horizon League title starting on Wednesday at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio. The Golden Grizzlies are the No. 5 seed in the tournament and will face No. 4 seed UIC with first pitch scheduled for noon. Every game of the Horizon League Championship will be broadcast on ESPN3.
HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Horizon League Championship will take place May 25-28 from Nischwitz Stadium with the winner earning an automatic bid to an NCAA Regional. The Golden Grizzlies are the No. 5 seed after finishing 11-14 in Horizon League play. Oakland is 6-15 all-time in league tournaments including 0-3 in the Horizon League tournament games. The winners of Wednesday's two play-in games will advance to the double-elimination part of the tournament starting on Thursday, while the losers will be eliminated. For more information on the Horizon League Championship, click here.
ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE SELECTIONS
The Golden Grizzlies landed five players on All-Horizon League teams, announced the league on Tuesday. Mike Brosseau and Ian Yetsko both earned All-Horizon League first team selections for the second time in their careers. Ben Hart and Nate Green were each selected to the All-Horizon League second team, while Ryan Fitzgerald received an All-Freshman team nod.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Grizzlies are coming off a thrilling 6-5 walk-off win in extra innings to close out the regular season against Milwaukee. Ian Yetsko collected a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning for the game winner, while Mike Brosseau hit his 10th home run of the season in their last home games of their career at the Oakland Baseball Field.
CLIMBING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Mike Brosseau and Ian Yetsko have both made significant impacts on the Oakland baseball program of their career and have already etched their names in the school's record book. Brosseau ranks inside the top-10 in Oakland's career records in at-bats (3rd-701), total bases (T3rd-317), hits (5th-216), doubles (6th-38), games played (7th-188), runs (8th-127) and home runs (10th-19). Yetsko also ranks in the top-10 in program history in doubles (4th-43) and at-bats (7th-615).
HORIZON LEAGUE RANKINGS
The Oakland pitching staff has allowed the fewest hits in the Horizon League and ranks second in walks allowed and runners picked off, while third in earned runs allowed. RHP Joe Buchalski ranks inside the top-10 in the HL in ERA, hits allowed, and strikeouts, while RHP Tyler Palm is top-10 in opposing batting average and hits allowed. Nate Green is tied for first in saves in the Horizon League with six and second during Horizon League play with four, while finishing 16 games this season.
Offensively, SS Mike Brosseau is solidifying himself as one of the best hitters in the conference as he is top-three in the Horizon League in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and home runs, while ranking top-10 in hits, runs and total bases. INF Ian Yetsko ranks top-10 in the Horizon League in slugging percentage and doubles, while INF/OF Zach Sterry ranks fifth in the Horizon League in doubles.
BIG TEN SUCCESS
The Golden Grizzlies defeated Michigan State, 3-1, on March 29 and Michigan, 6-5 in 10 innings, on May 17 to finish the season 2-0 against Big Ten opponents. It marks the first time in program history Oakland has defeated both UM and MSU in the same season and also the first time since 2002 that the Golden Grizzlies will end the regular season undefeated against Big Ten opponents.
COACH MOOSE AT THE HELM
Head coach John Musachio enters his ninth season as the head coach and 11th overall with the program. He became the all-time winningest coach in program history last season and currently sits at 169 for his career. He was named The Summit League Coach of the Year in 2013. He has had four players drafted under his tenure, Jake Paulson in the 27th round and Jake Morton in the 29th round in 2014, Hayden Fox in the 21st round in 2012 and Shane McCatty in the 34th round in 2009.
WEDNESDAY PITCHING PROBABLES
Oakland -- RHP Joe Buchalski
UIC -- TBA
#WEARtheBEAR
