ROCHESTER, Michigan - Oakland University softball had the bats going early, posting four runs in the first two innings for a 4-3 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on the final day of play at the Upstate Classic in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Sunday, February 16. Junior
Chelsea Wiggins earned the win in the circle as freshman
Sydney Campbell was awarded her first collegiate save.
Sophomore Lauren Griffith led the Golden Grizzlies (3-1) with a pair of hits. Griffith went 6-of-12 over the weekend with two doubles - one coming in the opening inning against the Hawks (1-8). R-sophomore Cammie Brummitt and senior Rachel Zerona notched an RBI each.
Six different Golden Grizzlies combined for seven hits as Oakland left four runners on base. Maryland Eastern Shore stranded six on base while totaling four hits.
Wiggins went 5.2 innings - striking out two and surrendering four earned runs on five hits. Campbell came in to close out the sixth, recording a pair of strikeouts and posting a zero in the hit column. She needed only 20 pitches to retire five batters. Campbell has an ERA of 1.37 through 15.1 innings of work this season. The freshman pitcher is 2-0 with a save through three appearances.
A pair of steals in the top of the first put two in scoring position for Brummitt with one out. Brummitt connected for a single to short, scoring junior Jessie Munson from third. Brummitt was caught trying to swipe second but not before r-sophomore Madison Jones came around to put Oakland up 2-0.
After a four-batter bottom of the frame, the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead to 4-0 in the second. Freshman Jen Krizka led off with a single before sophomore Sidney Rayba took the third pitch to left center for her second double of the weekend. Krizka came around to score on a fly out off the bat of Zerona. Rayba represented the fourth and final tally of the outing for Oakland, taking advantage of a wild pitch.
The Hawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the second and tried to rally late in the sixth but couldn't find the equalizer against Campbell.
The 3-1 mark to open the season marks Oakland's best open to the year since 2017 when the Black and Gold notched 20 wins with a record of 13-12 in the Horizon League.
The Golden Grizzlies travel to Orlando, Florida, for the Citrus Classic from February 21-23. Oakland will play five games in three days - starting with Troy on Friday.
