ROCHESTER, Mich. — The Oakland University softball program earned its first Horizon League series sweep of the 2021 season with a pair of wins over Green Bay on Saturday, April 3, at the Oakland Softball Field. The Golden Grizzlies run-ruled the Phoenix, 10-2 in six innings in game one, and took game two by a score of 4-2.
Game 1: Green Bay 2, Oakland 10 (6 innings)
Jen Krizka belted a pair of three-run home runs to propel the Golden Grizzlies to a 10-2 victory over the Phoenix in the Saturday opener.
Krizka went 2-for-2 at the plate, supplementing her two home runs with a career-high six RBI. Junior
Lauren Griffith added to Krizka's impressive power-hitting performance by going 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, and two RBI along with one walk. Senior
Jamie Squires chipped in for the Golden Grizzlies (12-8, 11-5 HL), going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Junior
Madison Jones also helped out with two doubles, three runs scored, and one stolen base.
Sophomore
Sydney Campbell (8-2) started in the circle and picked up the win for Oakland. The right-hander went five innings, giving up two runs, zero earned, on seven hits, allowing no walks, and striking out three. Senior Lauryn DeBono also made an impact in the circle for the Golden Grizzlies, throwing one scoreless inning while allowing no hits, with no walks and one strikeout.
The Golden Grizzlies got the scoring started early, putting four runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning with the game still scoreless. Krizka smashed a three-run homer to score Griffith and Jones, while Squires connected on a solo shot to increase their lead to 4-0.
The Phoenix (14-12, 9-9 HL) then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 4-2 until the Golden Grizzlies expanded their advantage in the third. OU scored three runs, all of them coming on another three-run homer off the bat of Krizka, scoring Jones and Griffith, which brought the Golden Grizzlies lead to 7-2.
Oakland held Green Bay without a run before expanding their lead to 9-2 the following inning. Griffith's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run output in the frame for the Golden Grizzlies.
OU kept the Phoenix without a run before clinching the run-rule victory in the sixth inning, as Griffith hit a leadoff home run off Green Bay pitcher Kayla Schwebke to bring the score to 10-2.
Game 2: Green Bay 2, Oakland 4
Senior
Chelsea Wiggins had everything working in the series finale, striking out eight Green Bay hitters over seven innings of work to push the Golden Grizzlies past the Phoenix, 4-2.
In addition to her eight strikeouts, Wiggins (1-2) tossed seven innings, giving up just two runs, both in the first inning, on five hits and walking three for Oakland. From the second inning on, Wiggins allowed no runs on three hits.
Griffith led the way offensively for the Golden Grizzlies, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Jones compiled a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-3. Senior
Shannon Carr also impressed with two singles and a sacrifice bunt.
Green Bay tagged Wiggins for two runs in the top of the first inning, but the Golden Grizzlies answered back in the bottom half of the frame with a pair of runs.
The score stayed at 2-2 until the fifth inning when Griffith hit a two-run homer, which gave OU a 4-2 advantage.
The Phoenix threatened with runners on base in the sixth and seventh frame, but could not push any runs across, resulting in a 4-2 victory for Oakland.
Game 1 Notes
» Oakland hit a season-high four home runs in the win.
» Krizka matched a career high with two home runs.
» Krizka totaled a career-best six RBI.
» The Golden Grizzlies had three players put together multiple extra-base hits.
» Oakland's highest scoring inning was the first, when it pushed four runs across.
» Oakland scored two or more runs in three frames.
» The Golden Grizzlies out-hit the Phoenix at a 12-7 clip.
» Oakland went 5-for-8 (.625) with runners in scoring position.
» Green Bay was led offensively by freshman Randi McKay, who went 2-for-3 with a double.
» Schwebke led the Phoenix pitching staff, throwing three innings of three-run ball.
Game 2 Notes
» The Golden Grizzlies improved to 11-5 in Horizon League play and 7-1 at home.
» Oakland extended its win streak to four games.
» Wiggins struck out a season-high eight batters.
» Wiggins limited Green Bay to 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
» Griffith homered for the second game in a row.
» Jones stole a base for the second game in a row.
» Carr recorded her first multi-hit performance of the season.
» The Golden Grizzlies out-hit the Phoenix at a 7-5 clip.
» Green Bay was led offensively by freshman Jadin Justman, who went 0-for-1 with an RBI.
» Freshman Abby Freismuth led the Phoenix pitching staff, throwing six innings of four-run ball.
