ROCHESTER, Mich. — Senior shortstop Jamie Squires broke a school record in career runs batted in, as the Oakland University softball program extended its win streak to eight games with a sweep over Cleveland State on Saturday, April 10, at the Oakland Softball Field. The Golden Grizzlies earned an 8-1 win in the opener and followed with a 7-2 victory in game two.
Game 1: Cleveland State 1, Oakland 8
The Golden Grizzlies captured a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed for the remainder of the Horizon League contest en route to an 8-1 victory over the Vikings.
For the second day in a row, sophomore Sydney Campbell (10-2) earned a complete-game win in the circle for Oakland (16-8, 15-5 HL). The ace gave up just one run on seven hits, allowing no walks, and striking out four.
The OU offense tallied 14 hits — its second-highest mark of the season — in the victory. Five different Golden Grizzlies recorded two or more hits.
Senior Jessie Munson posted a team-high three hits to go along with two RBI for Oakland. Junior Cammie Brummitt continued to dominate in the batter's box, as she went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Junior Madison Jones provided pop in the lineup with a triple and an RBI, while Lauren Griffith and Jen Krizka contributed with two hits apiece.
OU got out to an early lead with three runs in the opening frame. The trio of Jones, Griffith, and Squires each had an RBI in the inning.
The Vikings (9-23, 4-16 HL) then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third inning. The Golden Grizzlies responded in the bottom half of the frame thanks to an RBI single off the bat of Munson, which brought the score to 4-1 in favor of OU.
Oakland held Cleveland State without a run before building their lead to 8-1 in the fifth inning. The Golden Grizzlies bats heated up in the inning, scoring four runs, punctuated by a two-run double from Brummitt. The score remained 8-1 for the rest of the game, as OU coasted to its seventh-straight victory.
Game 2: Cleveland State 2, Oakland 7
Oakland clinched its second-straight series sweep with a 7-2 win against CSU in the series finale.
Squires' grand slam led the way for the Golden Grizzlies in the win. She finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and four RBI. Brummitt compiled a team-high three hits with a double and an RBI. Krizka strung together two RBI singles, while senior Shannon Carr batted 2-for-3 with a double and run scored.
Freshman Gracey Henckel (2-1) grabbed the victory in the circle for Oakland. The right-hander pitched 3.0 shutout innings, giving up two hits, one walk, and striking out three. Senior Lauryn Debono went the rest of the way, allowing two earned runs on five hits, allowing two walks, and striking out three in 4.0 innings of work.
The Golden Grizzlies got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom of the first inning with the game still scoreless. Oakland got an RBI single from Krizka, scoring senior Kayla Marburger from second base.
OU then held the Vikings scoreless before expanding their lead in the third inning. Oakland scored once again on an RBI single off the bat of Krizka, which brought the score to 2-0 in favor of the home team.
Oakland kept Cleveland State without a run before building their lead to 6-0 in the fifth inning. The Golden Grizzlies got a grand slam from Squires off junior Taylor Betz to cash in four runs in the frame. Squires broke a school record in career RBI with the homer, as she surpassed current graduate assistant Brittney Miller who was previously the program leader with 97 career RBI.
Brummitt delivered an RBI single in the next inning, bringing the score to 7-0.
CSU drove in two runs in the top of the seventh inning but could not get any more offense going, resulting in a 7-2 win for Oakland.
The Golden Grizzlies will return to action next weekend to face the conference-leading Youngstown State Penguins on the road.
Game 1 Notes
» Campbell pitched a complete game for the ninth time this season.
» Campbell won her fourth-straight decision and 10th of the season.
» Brummitt collected two-plus hits and a double for the third-straight game.
» Munson had a team-best three hits.
» Griffith extended her hitting streak to six games.
» Oakland held the lead from the first inning on.
» Five Golden Grizzlies had multiple hits.
» The Golden Grizzlies out-hit the Vikings at a 14-7 clip.
» Oakland went 9-for-15 (.600) with runners in scoring position.
» OU pitchers limited CSU to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Cleveland State was led offensively by freshman Jenna Deang, who went 2-for-2.
» Junior Hannah Griffin led the Vikings pitching staff, throwing 5.2 innings of five-run ball.
Game 2 Notes
» Squires broke a school record in career RBI with 98.
» Brummitt collected two-plus hits and a double for the fourth-straight game.
» Debono pitched a season-high 4.0 innings.
» Krizka had one or more hits in every game of the series.
» Oakland led from the first inning on.
» Four Golden Grizzlies had multiple hits.
» The Golden Grizzlies out-hit the Vikings at a 12-7 clip.
» Oakland went 6-for-13 (.462) with runners in scoring position.
» Cleveland State was led offensively by junior Mackenzie Tucker, who went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
» Betz led the Vikings pitching staff, throwing six innings of seven-run ball.
#GrizzVision with head coach Lauren Karn
Jamie Squires comments on her record-setting day
