ROCHESTER, Mich. — The Oakland softball program will host the UIC Flames for doubleheaders on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, at the Oakland Softball Field. The opening doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. and stream on ESPN3, while Saturday's doubleheader is set for a 1 p.m. start. Live stats will be provided for all four games.
Spectators will be permitted in the raised berm area beyond the outfield fence. Spectators are required to practice social distancing and to wear face coverings/masks when watching the game.
Click here to view spectator seating.
* It is recommended for spectators to bring chairs, blankets, and water bottles to each game. Bleacher seating and concessions will not be available due to COVID-19 protocols.
WEEKEND INFORMATION
April 23 | 2 p.m. |
Watch |
Live Stats
April 23 | 4 p.m. est. |
Watch |
Live Stats
April 24 | 1 p.m. |
Live Stats
April 24 | 3 p.m. est. |
Live Stats
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
The Flames enter the weekend at 22-14 overall and 19-7 against Horizon League opponents. UIC has recorded an undefeated record of 14-0 at home but has experienced less success in road and neutral matchups with a combined record of 8-14. The Flames are in the midst of their hottest stretch of the season, as they have won five games in a row and 12 of their last 14 contests. Most recently, UIC swept Cleveland State in a four-game set at home.
2019 Horizon League Player of the Year Kayla Wedl has impressed offensively, as she leads the conference in batting average (.443), doubles (13), triples (6), home runs (10), runs scored (47), slugging percentage (.893), on-base percentage (.496), and stolen bases (22). Marley Hanlon has paced the pitching staff with a 1.90 ERA in 42.2 innings of work. She ranks first on the team in ERA, WHIP (.98), and saves (1).
ALL-TIME VS. UIC
The Golden Grizzlies trail 14-9 in the all-time series. The programs last faced off during the 2019 season, when OU won the series 2-1. Oakland lost the series opener but managed to come out on top in the final two games by scores of 7-6 and 5-0. The duo of
Jessie Munson and
Jamie Squires had multi-hit performances on offense, while
Lauryn Debono highlighted the pitching staff with a complete-game shutout in her lone start of the series.
CONFERENCE STANDINGS
Oakland sits third place in the Horizon League standings at 15-9. Youngstown State leads the HL with a 20-4 record, while preseason favorite UIC sits second at 19-7. Robert Morris rounds out the top half of the standings with a 16-10 conference clip. The top four seeds after the regular season will advance to the 2021 Horizon League Softball Championship from May 13-15 at the site of the No. 1 seed.
WEEKEND RECAP
Oakland is coming off a series loss to Youngstown State on the road. The Golden Grizzlies led in the final two games of the series but could not hold on to either advantage. In the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader, OU 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. Senior shortstop
Jamie Squires drew four walks in the loss, which tied a school record last set by Erika Burns in 2003.
RECORD WATCH
Squires is currently tied for first place in school history with 20 career home runs. Sarah Hartley ('16 alum) sits atop of the category with Squires. Redshirt junior third baseman
Madison Jones is close behind Squires with 19 career home runs, good for third in program history. Jones' 12 career triples also rank third in program history. The Romeo, Mich., native is one triple shy of moving into a tie with
Kelsie Swanson ('19 alum) for second place in the category.
SEASON FOR THE AGES
The Golden Grizzlies are one win away from tying a school-mark record in conference wins with 16. The record was set in 2001 when OU went 16-6 against Summit League competition. Oakland has already exceeded a record mark in conference wins against Horizon League opponents, as its previous best was 14 victories during the 2015 season.
MAKING HISTORY
Redshirt junior first baseman
Cammie Brummitt and Squires made history in Oakland's series sweep over Cleveland State. Brummitt smashed a school-record three doubles in the series opener, while Squires hit a grand slam in the series finale to become OU's school-record holder in career RBI with 98. Squires surpassed current graduate assistant
Brittney Miller who was previously the program leader with 97 career RBI.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brummitt and sophomore pitcher
Sydney Campbell have racked Horizon League awards through seven weeks of play. Brummitt earned League Player of the Week after hitting .412 with one triple, three home runs, seven RBI, and six runs scored in the IUPUI series. Campbell went 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA, one complete game, and eight strikeouts in 12.0 innings of work in the Green Bay series en route to earning League Pitcher of the Week.
3/16/21 -
Cammie Brummitt - HLSB Player of the Week (1st of career)
4/6/21 -
Sydney Campbell - HLSB Pitcher of the Week (1st of career)
DO-IT-ALL JONES
Jones has batted .370 with 10 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 15 RBI, and 33 runs scored in 28 starts. In the conference rankings, she holds top-five marks in runs (2nd), triples (2nd), slugging percentage (.696, 3rd), doubles (T-3rd), stolen bases (12, 4th), total bases (64, 4th), and on-base percentage (.440, 5th).
THRIVING IN THE CIRCLE
Campbell is 10-4 with a 1.97 ERA in 99.2 innings of work. She holds top-five HL marks in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.44, 2nd), ERA (3rd), complete games (11, 3rd), and wins (4th). Furthermore, Campbell ranks seventh in NCAA Division I and second in the HL in walks allowed per seven innings (0.68). She has walked no batters in 14 of her 20 appearances.
GRIFFITH CAN RAKE
Junior
Lauren Griffith ranks second on the team and seventh in the Horizon League with a .358 batting average. She has garnered multiple hits in 10 games, including a season-high three hits on three different occasions. In conference play, Griffith has batted an improved .366 with seven doubles, four home runs, and 18 RBI. The Grove City, Ohio native was especially impressive in the Green Bay series, as she batted .538 with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI.
POWERED BY BRUMMITT
Brummitt is batting .366 with 11 doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 20 RBI. She is four doubles shy of tying Oakland's single-season school record of 15 doubles, which was last broke by Keri Sedgley in 2001. The Glen Allen, Va., native has been on a tear at the plate in the last 11 games, as she has tallied nine doubles in the span.
HITTING IS CONTAGIOUS
The Golden Grizzlies rank first in the Horizon League and 49th nationally with a .299 batting average. Jones (.370), Brummitt (.366), Griffith (.358), and Krizka (.325) are currently batting above .300 on the season.
HOME COOKIN'
The Golden Grizzlies are 11-1 at home after series wins over Northern Kentucky, Green Bay, and Cleveland State. The home win total is tied for their most in a single season since 2009. Oakland's 2003 squad holds a school record in home victories in a season with 14.
SERIES CANCELLATION
Originally, OU was slated to face Detroit Mercy for a four-game set in late April and a doubleheader on May 4. However, the Titans canceled their remaining scheduled games on April 15 due to health and safety protocols that left the program with too few players to continue.
NEWCOMERS
OU welcomed six newcomers — all freshmen — to the program last fall. Four of the six freshmen come from Michigan. The other two newcomers arrive on campus from Ohio and Indiana.
#HLSB PRESEASON POLL
The Golden Grizzlies were picked fourth in the Horizon League Softball preseason coaches poll. Oakland was one of two teams (UIC) to receive a first-place vote in the poll. UIC was projected to win the conference with 99 points and nine of the 10 first-place votes.
