YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Despite senior shortstop Jamie Squires tying a school record for walks in a game, the Oakland University softball program dropped a doubleheader to the Youngstown State Penguins, 7-6 (9 inn.), 11-3 (5 inn.) on Saturday afternoon at the YSU Softball Field.

Game 1: Oakland 6, YSU 7 (9 innings)

Oakland held a two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, but YSU rallied back to win by a final score of 7-6 in nine innings. 

At the plate, the Golden Grizzlies were paced by redshirt junior Madison Jones, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double, a walk, and two RBI. Squires displayed patience at the plate, as she tied a school record with four walks and added an RBI. The record was last set by Erika Burns in 2003. Freshman Allisa DiPrima and senior Rachel Zerona chipped in with two hits apiece. Senior Jessie Munson was also impressive with a hit and two stolen bases. 

As a team, Oakland out-hit YSU at a 10-8 clip and matched a season-high with seven walks. However, the Golden Grizzlies stranded 11 runners on base and committed four errors defensively.

Sophomore Sydney Campbell (10-4) got the ball to start for OU (16-12, 15-9 HL) and took the loss. The right-hander pitched a career-high 8.1 innings, giving up seven runs, four earned, on eight hits, allowing three walks, and striking out four. 

The Golden Grizzlies got on the scoreboard first, starting in the second inning. Oakland scored three runs in the frame, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Jones.

The Penguins (27-9, 20-4 HL) failed to push any runs across before the Golden Grizzlies offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. Sophomore Jen Krizka reached base on an error and came around to score on a wild pitch, which brought OU's lead to 4-0. 

Youngstown State narrowed Oakland's lead to 4-2 before the Golden Grizzlies stretched the advantage to 6-2 in the fourth inning after turning four walks and a hit into two runs. The Penguins responded with two runs of their own in the fifth frame to reduce OU's lead to 6-4.

The Golden Grizzlies held their 6-4 advantage into the bottom of the seventh, but the Penguins evened the score at 6-all with a pair of two-out scores.

The score remained tied at 6-6 until the bottom of the ninth inning when YSU's Jillian Jakse hit a walk-off double to score teammate Alex DeLeon from first base.

Game 2: Oakland 3, YSU 11 (5 innings)

An 11-run third inning for YSU was the difference-maker in Oakland's 11-3 run-rule loss to the Penguins in the series finale.

Offensively, OU was led by redshirt junior Cammie Brummitt and sophomore Jen Krizka, who both went 2-for-2 at the plate. Krizka and Munson tacked an RBI apiece, while Jones contributed with a hit, run, and stolen base. 

Senior pitcher Chelsea Wiggins (2-4) started and received the loss in the circle for the Golden Grizzlies. She opened the game with two scoreless innings but gave up nine runs, four earned, in the third frame. Senior Emily Karas pitched the remainder of the Horizon League contest, allowing two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of work. 

Oakland reached the scoreboard first in the Saturday rematch, as Munson hit a sacrifice fly to score junior Cammie Brummitt from third base.

YSU exploded for 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning, punctuated by home runs from Nikki Saibene and Jakse.

The 11-run deficit was too much for OU to overcome, as they fell by a final score of 11-3 in five innings to clinch the series sweep for YSU.

The Golden Grizzlies will return to action Tuesday, April 20, for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Purdue Fort Wayne.

Game 1 Notes
» Squires matched a school record with four walks.
» Oakland left 11 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» The Golden Grizzlies out-hit the Penguins at a 10-8 clip.
» Munson stole two bases.
» Jones led the Golden Grizzlies at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
» Jones tallied an extra-base hit for the third-straight game. 
» Jones extended her hitting streak to five games.
» Oakland matched a season-high in errors with four. 
» Oakland drew a season-high seven walks.
» Youngstown State was led offensively by Jillian Jakse, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI.
» Sophie Howell led the Penguins pitching staff, throwing six innings of one-run ball.

Game 2 Notes
» Jones extended her hitting streak to six games.
» Brummitt and Krizka led the team with two hits apiece. 
» Arieanna Grammatico and Munson tallied sacrifice hits for Oakland.
» Oakland committed two errors defensively. 
» YSU scored all 11 of its runs in the third inning.
» Jakse and Saibene hit home runs for YSU. 
» YSU pitcher Elle Buffenbarger threw five innings of three-run ball.