ROCHESTER, Michigan - Oakland University softball stumbled on day two of the Red & Black Challenge, falling to Illinois, 3-1, and Evansville, 7-4, at Ulmer Stadium on Saturday, March 7, on the campus of the University of Louisville. Junior
Shannon Carr had a team-high three hits in five at bats.
Carr became just the second Golden Grizzly to notch a triple this season - connecting for one to left center in the sixth inning against the Fighting Illini. Redshirt sophomore Madison Jones leads Oakland with two on the year. Jones went 2-of-7 on the day with a run and a double.
Freshman Jen Krizka is the team's leader in home runs, sending her third of the year over the left field wall.
Freshman Sydney Campbell started the day in the circle against Illinois. Campbell went the full game for the eighth time this season, giving up one earned on eight hits. She walked just one batter. Campbell ranks 11th nationally, surrendering .73 walks per seven innings. She leads the Horizon League with an ERA of 1.02.
Junior Chelsea Wiggins had the ball to start against Evansville, but came to the dugout after three innings of work. Wiggins gave up three earned on two hits, walking three batters. Junior Lauryn DeBono put in 4.0 innings, striking out three and allowing four runs across on five hits.
Campbell was in a pitcher's duel against the Fighting Illini, opening the game with back-to-back three-up, three-down frames. Illinois opened the scoring in the fifth as two came home on Oakland's lone error of the day. A single with two on in the sixth added an insurance run, 3-0.
Krizka broke the shut out with her third homer of the season to lead off the bottom of the seventh.
The Golden Grizzlies took a 5-1 lead into the fourth inning against the Purple Aces to close out the afternoon. Two doubles in the side cut into Oakland's lead, 5-3.
Evansville swung the momentum in its favor in the sixth, posting four runs on three hits. A three-run homer with two outs gave the Purple Aces its first lead of the game, 7-5.
Freshman Marisa Muglia singled in the bottom of the first to score Jones - who reached on a fielder's choice.
After Evansville knotted the tally at 1-1, Carr brought two into score on a double to left center. The Golden Grizzlies pushed the advantage out to four, 5-1, in the third - marking the fourth-straight inning going back to Krizka's home run in the seventh in the morning's effort against Illinois that Oakland recorded a run.
The Golden Grizzlies close out the weekend at the Red & Black Challenge with Northwestern on Sunday, March 8. First pitch is set for approximately 10 a.m.
