INDIANAPOLIS — The Oakland University softball program swept its opening doubleheader in Horizon League action from the IUPUI Jaguars on Friday, March 12 at the IUPUI Softball Complex. The Golden Grizzlies rallied from a two-run deficit in both games, as they prevailed in game one by a score of 7-5 (9 inn.), and took game two, 6-3.
Game 1: Oakland 7, IUPUI 5 (9 inn.)
The Golden Grizzlies (3-3, 2-0 HL) trailed 3-0 heading into the fifth inning but rallied back to pull off the 7-5 victory in nine innings over IUPUI (2-10, 0-2 HL).
Senior Lauryn DeBono (2-2) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Oakland. The right-hander pitched the final three innings, giving up one run on three hits, allowing two walks, and striking out three. Her lone run allowed did not come until the bottom of the ninth with OU in front, 7-4.
Offensively, the Golden Grizzlies were paced by junior
Cammie Brummitt, who went 2-for-5 on the day with a triple, a home run, and an RBI. The triple was the third in her career with the Golden Grizzlies and the first since the 2018 season. Senior
Jamie Squires furnished a standout day at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and an RBI. Freshman
Maci Brown also came up big with a team-leading three hits in five trips to the plate while adding a double and RBI.
As a team, Oakland strung together a season-high 15 hits. Brummitt,
Lauren Griffith,
Jen Krizka, and
Rachel Zerona each collected two hits in the win.
The Golden Grizzlies were behind 3-0 in the fifth inning when they first put runs on the board, as Griffith hit an RBI single to score senior
Jessie Munson from second base.
OU kept the deficit at 3-1 before closing the gap further in the sixth. Oakland picked up a run on Squires' leadoff home run — her first of the season — off IUPUI starting pitcher Lexi Lucas, which tightened the Jaguars lead to 3-2.
IUPUI built their lead to 4-2 on a home run of its own before the Oakland offense got back in action, tying the ballgame, 4-4, in the seventh following RBI knocks by
Madison Jones and Griffith.
The game remained tied until the ninth inning thanks to standout pitching by Debono in the circle. She ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh but escaped a bases-loaded jam to force extra innings.
Brummitt hit a lead-off home run in the top of the ninth to give the Golden Grizzlies their first lead of the game, 5-4. Brown and Zerona drove in RBI singles to increase the OU advantage to 7-4.
IUPUI inched back with a solo homer in the final frame, but Oakland held on for the 7-5 conference victory.
Game 2: Oakland 6, IUPUI 3
IUPUI got out to an early 2-0 lead, but four runs by Oakland in the third inning pushed the Golden Grizzlies to their third-straight win in game two.
DeBono earned the start and the win for OU in game two. The right-hander went two innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on four hits, allowing one walk and striking out four. Senior
Chelsea Wiggins shined in relief, going 5.0 innings, surrendering one run on four hits, walking none, and striking out four.
Krizka's three-hit day led the Golden Grizzly offense. Brummitt's power streak continued, as she batted 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Griffith also contributed for OU, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double and an RBI. Zerona and Jones helped out as well with RBI hits in the final two innings of play.
The Golden Grizzlies were trailing 2-0 in the third inning when they first put runs on the board. OU's offense started clicking and put up four runs, including a two-run home run off the bat of Brummitt.
The Jaguars failed to push any runs across before the Golden Grizzlies built on their lead in the sixth inning. Oakland pushed across a run on Jones' two-out RBI double, which brought the score to 5-2 in favor of the Golden Grizzlies.
The Golden Grizzlies increased their lead to 6-2 in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Zerona. IUPUI put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Oakland still held on for the 6-3 win.
Game 1 Notes
» Every Oakland starter reached base.
» Five Golden Grizzlies had multiple hits.
» The Golden Grizzlies had a season-high 15 hits.
» Oakland batted 6-for-11 (.545) with runners in scoring position.
» Oakland pitchers limited IUPUI to just 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.
» IUPUI was led offensively by freshman Jennah Speth, who went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Game 2 Notes
» Oakland pushed across four runs in the third inning.
» Jones stole two bases.
» Oakland went 4-for-12 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» IUPUI was led offensively by freshman Lauren Youngblood, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
#GrizzVision with head coach Lauren Karn
