ROCHESTER, Michigan - After opening the first day of play at the Spartan Classic at the UNCG Softball Stadium on Friday, February 28, with a loss to Dayton, 5-0, the Golden Grizzlies jumped out ahead of Appalachian State before surrendering three late to the Mountaineers, falling 4-3.
Junior Shannon Carr, junior Jessie Munson and senior Rachel Zerona tallied multi-hit days, all finishing with two. Carr and Zerona each connected for a double - the first of the season for both.
Munson, sophomore Lauren Griffith and redshirt sophomore Cammie Brummitt each batted a run in.
Freshman Sydney Campbell suffered her first collegiate loss despite not allowing a single earned run against the Flyers in her fifth complete game of the season. The LeGrange, Ohio, native struck two out and gave up nine hits.
Junior Chelsea Wiggins got the ball in game two against Appalachian State. Wiggins gave up four earned on 11 hits to the Mountaineers. She struck out six in her third start.
Oakland's offense came out swinging in the bottom of the first against Appalachian State. Carr opened the frame with a single to short. The savvy senior Zerona watched ball four come across the plate before redshirt sophomore Madison Jones singled to load the bases with no outs. After a pair of groundouts scored two, Munson brought a third run across with a single to second.
The Mountaineers posted their first tally in the third. The game was squared up at 3-3 in the fifth. Sidney Russell made the difference in the score, sending one over the left field wall in the sixth inning. Russell finished the day 1-of-4.
The day for the Golden Grizzlies opened with a pair of runs coming across in the first for the Flyers.
An error in the second put sophomore Sidney Rayba on base. A passed ball and error gave her the opportunity to reach third, but Oakland couldn't bring her across. Rayba reached third again in the fourth but would once again be left on base. The Golden Grizzlies stranded 10 runners.
The Flyers added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth to push the edge out to 5-0. The Black and Gold's defense committed six errors in total.
Oakland closes out its weekend on Saturday, February 29, with Appalachian State and the tournament's host, UNC Greensboro.
