CHICAGO – The Golden Grizzlies fell to the Northern Kentucky Norse by a score of 3-2, cutting Oakland's championship run short. Oakland fell in game one of the day to Detroit Mercy 6-3 and had to beat the Norse in order to advance to day three of the tournament.
In game one, the Oakland bats had to face the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, Ashley Mauser. Detroit got on the board first in the bottom of the second after getting runners on second and third. After a costly error from the Oakland defense, Detroit would score their runner from third.
Detroit would add three more runs in the third thanks off of a two-run home run as well as a solo shot to center field. One more home run in the fourth inning would put the Titans up 4-0.
In the top of the sixth,
Brittney Miller led off with a single up the middle, followed by
Lauren Griffith who would do the same. Miller advanced to third on a fielding error, giving
Jamie Squires a perfect opportunity to hit her in. Squires delivered, doubling over the right fielder's head, scoring Miller and forced Detroit to make a pitching change. Detroit's Liz Murphy got her team out of the jam leaving Oakland with only one run scored.
Oakland put together two runs in the top of the seventh on an
Mikayela Marciniak single as well as a fielder's choice from
Jamie Squires but No. 2 Detroit held on, solidifying the win.
With their season on the line, Oakland found themselves taking on the Northern Kentucky Norse in the evenings elimination game. NKU scored two runs early on an RBI triple followed by a sacrifice fly.
The pitchers from each team shut down their opposing offense through six innings, but Oakland rallied in their top half of the inning.
Arieanna Grammatico and
Brittney Miller walked to put runners on first and second with one out.
Lauren Griffith chopped a ball up the middle that the NKU shortstop tried to flip to second for the force out but the ball got stuck in her glove, sending the ball out to right field. Grammatico scored on the error, cutting the deficit to one run.
The Norse answered back in their bottom half of the inning with a leadoff home run, putting them back up by two runs.
Down to their final three outs,
Shannon Carr led off the seventh inning with a double to right center.
Kelsie Swanson moved her to third on a groundout to first before
Jessie Munson would pick up an RBI single up the middle, making the game 3-2. NKU however would get out of the inning advancing in the tournament.
The Golden Grizzlies finished the season with a 18-33 record.
#WEARtheBEAR
