ROCHESTER, Mich. – After a 716-day hiatus, the Oakland baseball team returns home to continue Horizon League play against 2019 defending champion UIC in a four-game series. The Golden Grizzlies and Flames play a single game on Friday, Mar. 26 at 3 p.m. on ESPN3 followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 27 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and series finale on Sunday, Mar. 28 at 1 p.m.
 
NOTES:
Oakland Projected Rotation:
Game 1: #19 RHP Brandon Deans
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
Game 4: #44 RHP Jacob Wosinski

UIC Projected Rotation:
Game 1: #33 RHP Jacob Key
Game 2: #27 RHP Cristian Lopez
Game 3: #50 RHP Ryan O'Reilly
Game 4: #36 RHP Tanner Shears
 
A LONG TIME COMING - 716 DAYS SINCE LAST HOME GAME:
Oakland's last home game was a 10-9 walk-off win over Eastern Michigan on Apr. 10, 2019. With the game tied and bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Ronnie Krsolovic delivered a clutch game-winning walk-off single giving Oakland a thrilling 10-9 come from behind win over the Eagles. The Golden Grizzlies trailed 9-8 entering the ninth before Blake Griffith hit an RBI single to score Matt DiLeo tying the game at 9-9 and setting the stage for Krsolovic's heroics.
 
MARCH MADNESS:
Friday's game also marks the first the Oakland has played a home game in the month of March since Mar. 31, 2018 against Milwaukee which ended in a 12-7 win for the Golden Grizzlies to take the weekend series.
 
OAKLAND BASEBALL FIELD SEATING:


 
A LOOK AT THE FLAMES:
UIC is 3-11 on the season and 2-6 in Horizon League play after splitting the series at Milwaukee. Oakland is 10-21 over the last 21 games. However, Oakland took two games to claim the weekend series at UIC back on Apr. 19-21, 2019. As the defending HL Champion, UIC was picked to finish second in the league preseason poll.
 
DEANS NAMED NIKE® HORIZON LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Brandon Deans was named Nike® Horizon League Pitcher of the Week as announced by the league office on Tuesday.
Deans, a sophomore from Mississauga, Ontario, tossed a gem on the mound picking up his third win of the season racking up a career-high 12 strikeouts allowing only three unearned runs and three scattered hits for a 0.00 ERA with three walks in 7.0 innings of work to lead Oakland to a 9-3 series-opening win at Purdue Fort Wayne (3/19).
 
ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST IN TRIPLES:
Oakland is currently in an eight-way tie for ninth the nation in total triples with eight by five different players. Josh Dudden (2 – 1st HL), Brenton Phillips (2 – 1st HL), Jared Miller (2 – 1st HL) lead the team followed by Luke Malmanger (1), and Cam Post (1). Jackson State, La Salle, Louisville, Tulane, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Wright State also have eight.
 
TROV DELIVERS AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE:
Tyler Trovinger hit an impressive .571 going 8-for-14 with two home runs, seven RBI, three runs scored, three walks, two stolen bases, 14 total bases with a 1.000 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage in a four-game series at Purdue Fort Wayne. In game one, Trovinger went 3-for-5 hitting a home run with five RBI and a run scored to lead Oakland to a 9-3 win (3/19). He went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in game two. After going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases in game three, he went 1-for-2 hitting his team-leading fourth home run while drawing three walks in the series finale.
 
LEADER OF THE PACK:
Trovinger also leads the team in hitting (.353 – 5th HL), RBI (14, 4th HL), home runs (4, 5th HL) and slugging percentage (.588 – 5th HL) and on-base percentage (.484 – 2nd HL) and is riding a eight game hitting streak.
 
POSTING BIG NUMBERS:
Cam Post is off to a hot start this season leading the team in hits (21 – 4th HL) and doubles (5 – T-2nd HL), while ranking second in batting average (.323) and slugging percentage (.431) and third in RBI (11). At Purdue Fort Wayne, Post led the way in the four-game set hitting .500 going 8-for-16 with two double, two runs and an RBI with 10 total bases and two stolen bases.
 
WALK IT OUT:
As a team, Oakland is tied for the league lead and ranks 18th in the nation on walks (102). Phillips (18 – T1st HL, T-14 nationally), Miller (16 – T2nd HL, T36 nationally), Dudden (16 – T2nd HL, T36 nationally) and Elion (11 – T10th HL) rank first, second and third respectively on the team in walks.
 
BRING IT HOME:
Jared Miller (16 – 5th HL) leads the teams in runs scored followed by Lorenzo Elion (12) and Phillips (11).
 
DEANS DEALIN' ON THE MOUND:
Deans is 3-0 on the season with 1.63 ERA (2nd HL), 1.14 WHIP and leads the team in strikeouts (28) and in innings pitched (27.2). He picked up his first career win on the mound allowing only three hits and one earned run with a strikeout in 5.0 innings of work at Middle Tennessee State (2/23).
 
Deans posted a solid effort on the mound picking up his second win of the season going the distance racking up 10 strikeouts allowing only one unearned run on four scattered hits for a 0.00 ERA with three walks in 7.0 innings pitched leading Oakland to a 2-1 game two win at Dayton to complete the doubleheader sweep (3/6). For his efforts, he was named United Wholesale Mortgage Student-Athlete of the Week.
 
K'S IN KONITZER:
Bryce Konitzer is third on the team in strikeouts (25). He picked up his first win of the season with a solid outing going 6.0 innings allowing six scattered hits, two earned runs with five strikeouts to lead Oakland to a 10-5 series-clinching win (2/28) and went 5.0 innings, surrendering one run on four hits, walking two and striking out seven for the no-decision effort at Dayton (3/7).
 
NO NONSENSE NIERMAN:
Hayden Nierman is second on the team in strikeouts (26 – 9th HL). He picked up his first win of the season going 3.0 innings in relief allowing only two hits with no runs and two strikeouts in the game one double header at Longwood (2/27). Nierman closed the door in relief holding the Blue Raiders hitless over 4.0 innings with three strikeouts to pick up his first save in an Oakland uniform at MTSU (2/3). He also picked up his second save of the season going 3.0 innings allowing only one run at Dayton (3/6).
 
LAST TIME OUT:
Oakland Concludes 19-Game Road Swing at Purdue Fort Wayne
- Trovinger went 3-for-5 hitting his team-best third home run of the season with five RBI and a run while Michael Stygles hit 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead Oakland to a series-opening 9-3 win at Purdue Fort Wayne. Brenton Phillips put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-2 with a double, three walks and an RBI.
 
- Hayden Nierman had everything working, striking out 10 PFW hitters over 5.0 of work in the no-decision effort but it was not enough as the Oakland fell to the Mastodons 5-4 in game one of a doubleheader.
 
- Lorenzo Elion went 2-for-5 with a double and a pair of runs scored while Jared Miller provided a standout day at the dish as well, going 1-for-4 with two RBI as Oakland put together a valiant effort but ultimately came up short, falling, 6-3, in the second leg of a doubleheader.
 
- Jared Miller went 2-for-4 with home run, two-run double, a walk and three RBI while Tyler Trovinger hit his second home run of the series going 1-for-2 with three walks and an RBI. Brenton Phillips also went 2-for-5 with a double as Oakland held a late lead but came up short in the series finale, 8-7.

SEASON REWIND:
Oakland drops league opening series at Northern Kentucky
- Michael Stygles and Blake Griffith each hit three-run home runs sparking Oakland's eight-run ninth inning rally for a thrilling 9-6 win over Northern Kentucky to open Horizon League play in the series opener (3/12).
 
- Stygles led the way offensively for Oakland going 1-for-1 on the home run with a walk and four RBIs. Griffith went 1-for-4 with a home run, walk and three RBIs.  Lorenzo Elion also contributed, going 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Jacob Schellpfeffer (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen in relief.
 
Oakland fell in the final three games dropping a hard-fought doubleheader 2-1 and 15-12 and lost the series finale 18-5.
 
Post led the way in the four-game set hitting .500 going 8-for-16 with two double, two runs and a RBI with 10 total bases and two stolen bases.
 
Oakland splits series at Dayton with doubleheader sweep:
- Andrew Hill and Hayden Nierman and each collected five strikeouts to help propel Oakland to a 5-3 win in the first leg of a doubleheader. Hill picked up his first win of the season going 4.0 innings allowing only two runs with one unearned. Nierman picked up his second save of the season going 3.0 innings allowing only one run.
 
- Oakland was paced by Lorenzo Elion, who went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Josh Dudden hit 1-for-3 with a double and a walk while Brenton Phillips added two walks and an RBI.
 
- Reagan Paulina went 2-for-3 with a double while hitting his first career home run in the seventh inning breaking a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning.
 
- For the series, Elion hit .417 going 5-for-12 with three RBI, a double, three runs, and three stolen bases. After going 2-for-4 in game one, Elion also went 2-for-4 in game two with a run and two walks while hitting a clutch two-run double in the top of the seventh to help secure Oakland's 5-3 win. He also went 1-for-3 with an RBI, run, and a pair of walks in the series finale.
 
Oakland secured their first series win of the season taking 3-of-4 games at Longwood:
- Cam Post hit .400 going 6-for-15 with seven RBI, four runs, a double, triple and nine total bases with a .600 slugging and .471 on-base percentage. Post recorded a hit in all four games and in game one, he was just a home run short of the cycle going 3-for-4 with an RBI single, two-run double, and two-run triple for five total RBI to lead Oakland to a dominating game one 12-0 win. Post also added two RBI in the series clinching 10-5 win (2/26).
 
- Travis Densmore picked up his first win of the season tossing 7.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts while allowing the first of only four scattered hits in the fifth inning en route to in the 12-0 series opening win at Longwood.
 
- Andrew Hill picked up his first save of the season allowing only one hit with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work to lead Oakland to a 2-1 win in the game one double header.
 
- Will Nigut picked up the no-decision posting eight strikeouts allowing two runs on five scattered hits in 5.2 innings of work as the Golden Grizzlies fell in walk-off fashion, 3-2, to split the 7-inning doubleheader (2/27).
 
In the addition the post, the Golden Grizzlies had three other players who hit over .300 at Longwood in Blake Griffith (.375), Josh Dudden (.364) and Brenton Phillips (.357).
 
Oakland secures first win of the season at Middle Tennessee State:
- Tyler Trovinger went 3-for-3 with a home run, RBI and run scored while Brenton Phillips hit 2-for-5 with an RBI triple and run scored in game one as Oakland secured its first win of the season with a 5-2 decision at Middle Tennessee State. The win also marked the first career win for Head Coach Jordon Banfield. Hayden Nierman closed the door in relief holding the Blue Raiders hitless over 4.0 innings with three strikeouts to pick up his first save in an Oakland uniform.
 
- Trovinger led the Golden Grizzlies hitting .500 going 3-for-6 with a home run, RBI, run scored, six total bases with a 1.571 OPS, 1.000 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage in a three-game series at MTSU. In game two, Trovinger went 3-for-3 with a home run, RBI and run scored helping Oakland to its first win of the season.
 
- Josh Dudden ranked second on the team hitting .333 with a triple and 1.096 OPS at MTSU.
 
TEAM BREAKDOWN:
- Oakland only played 12 games with a 2-10 record during the 2020 season before it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
- The Golden Grizzlies are under the direction of first-year Head Coach Jordon Banfield who came to Oakland from Akron. At 34 years, 170 days old, Banfield is the 16th youngest Division I head coach in the country. His staff consists of Assistant Pitching Coach, Dan McKinney, Assistant Coach Brian Nelson, Volunteer Assistant Coach Cooper Goen and Student Assistant Ethan Kulich.
 
- Oakland was picked to finish sixth in the 2021 Horizon League Baseball Preseason Poll announced by the league office on Wednesday and voted on by the league's seven head coaches. The Golden Grizzlies received 14 overall points.
 
- Sophomore newcomer and opening day starter Travis Densmore comes to Oakland all the way from Mesa, Arizona where 6'-1" left-hander spent last year at Gateway Community College where he made eight appearances posting 17 strikeouts in 31.1 innings of work.
 
- The Golden Grizzlies return the top four hitters from the 2020 shortened season. Senior Michael Stygles started all 12 games leading the team in hitting (.395), hits (15), RBI (8), with four runs, two doubles, a home run and six walks. Against Cincinnati, Stygles hit .455 going 5-for-11 with a home run, two runs scored, four walks and eight total bases with a .727 slugging percentage. In the series finale, he hit 3-for-3 and posted his first career home run.
 
- Senior Cam Post started in eight of 11 games ranking second on the team hitting .364 with 12 hits, two RBI, three runs, two doubles and five walks. Post recorded a hit in the first six games of the season and delivered the game-winning RBI single at Akron in the top of the sixth inning in game two which was shortened due to darkness.
 
- Redshirt senior Blake Griffith also returns after starting in all 12 games last season finishing third on the team at the plate hitting .310 with 13 hits, six runs and team-best eight RBI, two home runs and two doubles. He hit his first home run of the season at No. 8 Auburn
and posted a .600 average going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run and five total bases with a 1.714 OPS and 1.000 slugging percentage in Oakland's two wins at Akron.
 
- During the 2019 season, Griffith played in 46 games with 42 starts at first base and designated hitter. He tied for the team lead in home runs (6), ranked second in RBI (31), slugging percentage (.457) and total bases (74), third in hits (46) and batting ave. (.284) and fifth in doubles (8).
 
- Redshirt senior Tyler Trovinger returned during the 2020 season starting all 12 games after missing the 2019 due to injury. Trovinger hit .263 with 10 hits, three RBI, five runs, one double and a team season-best 11 walks. In 2018, Trovinger started in all 46 games leading the team in home runs (5), ranking second in doubles (8) and RBI (28), with a triple and 22 runs while also finishing fifth in batting (.259).
 
- Senior Captain Dan Rutan returns on the mound after making four appearances with seven strikeouts last season. Rutan picked up the loss in his first career start with two strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs at No. 8 Auburn.
 
- Sophomore Matthew Nolin returns after making four appearances with two starts recording a team second-best 13 strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched. Nolin went 3.0 innings allowing only one hit with a team-high five strikeouts in relief at No. 8 Auburn.
 
- Senior relief pitcher Justyn Schoening also returns after making four appearances last season with four strikeouts in only 3.0 innings of work.
 
- Overall, Oakland has plenty of leadership with 11 seniors and two graduate students on the roster. The roster also includes 12 junior college transfers, six sophomores and seven freshmen.
 
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