ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland baseball team returns home after an eight-game road swing with a four-game set against Northern Kentucky. The Golden Grizzlies and Norse play a single game on Friday, May 7 at 12 p.m. followed by doubleheader on Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m. and approximately 4 p.m., and the series finale on Mother's Day Sunday, May 9 at 1 p.m.

NOTES:
Oakland Projected Rotation:
Friday: #32 RHP Bryce Konitzer
Saturday Game 1: #44 RHP Jacob Wosinski
Saturday Game 2: #42 RHP Andrew Hill
Sunday: TBD

Northern Kentucky Projected Rotation:
Friday: #37 LHP Ben Gerl
Saturday Game 1: #26 LHP Noah Richardson
Saturday Game 2: #34/35 RHP Kyle Klingenbeck
Sunday: TBD

OAKLAND BASEBALL FIELD SEATING: The green shaded areas are available to spectators.


GRADUATION HONORS:
Prior to Saturday's game, graduating seniors Lorenzo Elion, Tyler Trovinger, Dan Rutan, Blake Griffith, Justyn Schoening, Cam Post and Josh Dudden will receive their graduation stoles.
 
A LOOK AT THE NORSE:
NKU is 14-22 overall on the season and11-16 in Horizon League play after splitting a pair of non-conference games at Butler. Oakland is 12-16 over the last 28 games against NKU. The Norse were picked to finish seventh in the league preseason poll.

WEEKEND ROTATION:


LAST TIME OUT, OAKLAND WINS FIRST CONFERENCE SERIES OF THE SEASON AT MILWAUKEE:
Stygles on fire:
Overall, Michael Stygles hit a blistering .692 going 9-for-13 with three RBI, two doubles, two runs, and 12 total bases with a .923 slugging percentage and .714 on-base percentage to lead Oakland to the team's first Horizon League series win of the season at Milwaukee. He went 2-for-4 in the series-opening win, 1-for-2 with a double, walk and RBI in the game two win and 2-for-3 in game three. Stygles saved his best for last with a stellar day at the plate hitting 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored to lead Oakland to an 8-6 come-from-behind win in the series finale.
 
Sweet Homecoming:
Wisconsin native Bryce Konitzer returned to his home state and delivered a solid effort on the mound giving up only one run on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work to pick up his third win of the season leading Oakland to an 8-2 series-opening win at Milwaukee. He also recorded his first career save in relief going 3.0 innings allowing only one hit and one run off a sacrifice fly in the series-clinching 8-4 win to secure Oakland's first Horizon League series win of the season. Konitzer totaled eight strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work with a 1.82 ERA.
 
Lights out Bullpen:
The bullpen came up big in relief of Brandon Deans as Hayden Nierman tossed four shutout innings without allowing a hit, with no walks and five strikeouts followed by Travis Densmore tossing one shutout inning, giving up two hits with no walks and one strikeout. Seth Tucker came in from the field to pitch the sixth inning and picked up his first career win in relief allowing only one run off a home run. Tucker also went 1-for-4 with a double at the plate in the series finale win.

Save for Schoening:
Cam Post went 3-for-4 with a double, RBI run and a stolen base while Travis Densmore picked up his second win of the season in relief out of the bullpen going 2.2 innings allowing only one run on three hits with a strikeout as Oakland won its second consecutive game taking the doubleheader opener 5-2 at Milwaukee. Justyn Schoening also made an impact on the mound throwing one scoreless inning while allowing no hits to pick up his first career save.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS NKU:
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 an RBI with 10 total bases and two stolen bases.
 
AT THE PLATE
STYLIN' STYGLES: Michael Stygles also leads the team in average (.343 – 8th HL), RBI (23), doubles (9 – 9th HL), ranks second in hits (37) and total bases (52). Against Milwaukee (Apr. 2-3), he hit .571 going 8-for-14 with three RBI, two doubles, two runs and 10 total bases.
 
POSTING BIG NUMBERS:
Cam Post leads the team in hits (43 – 9th HL), stolen bases (9 – 8th HL) at bats (122) and total bases (54) and ranks second in batting average (.336 – 10th HL), RBI (22), doubles (8). Against Milwaukee, Post hit a blistering .571 going 8-for-14 with a home run, five RBI, five runs, two doubles and 13 total bases with a .929 slugging percentage. 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.
 
Post also 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).
 
TROV ON A TEAR:
Team captain Tyler Trovinger leads the team in home runs (4 – T-10th HL) and slugging percentage (.488) and on-base percentage (.447 – 9th HL), ranks third in hitting (.333), RBI (19) and sixth in hits (28). He also had a 10-game hitting streak so far this season.
 
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.
 
NATIONALLY RANKED IN TRIPLES:
Oakland is currently tied for 45th in the nation in total triples with 10 by five different players. Jared Miller (3 – T-1st HL) leads the team followed by Josh Dudden (2 – 2nd HL), Brenton Phillips (2 – 2nd HL), Luke Malmanger (1), Cam Post (1) and Drew Collins (1).
 
MULTI-HIT GAMES:
Brenton Phillips and Post lead the team in multi-hits games (12), followed by Lorenzo Elion (9), Stygles (9), and Trovinger and Miller (6).
 
WALK IT OUT:
As a team, Oakland ranks third in the league in walks (166). Phillips (27 – 5th HL) leads the team followed by Dudden (23 – 9th HL), Miller (20), Trovinger (15) and Elion (15).
 
BRING IT HOME:
Jared Miller (28) leads the teams in runs scored followed by Brenton Philips (22), Lorenzo Elion (22), Post (17), and Seth Tucker (15).
 
MILLER TIME: Jared Miller leads the team in runs scored (23), is second in total bases (45) and fifth in hitting (.264).
 
OUCH!!:
Miller also leads the team and ranks third in the league in being hit by a pitch (8).
 
HEARTBREAKERS:
On the season, Oakland is 2-8 in one run games and has lost in walk-off fashion six times.

ON THE BUMP
K'S IN KONITZER:
Bryce Konitzer leads the pitching staff in strikeouts (51) and is tied for the team lead in wins (3). With his career-best 10 strikeout performance against Milwaukee Konitzer was named United Wholesale Mortgage Student-Athlete of the Week (4/5). 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).
 
DEANS DEALIN':
Brandon Deans is tied for the team lead in wins (3) and ranks second in strikeouts (41). 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 NAMED NIKE® HORIZON LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Deans was named Nike® Horizon League Pitcher of the Week (3/23) after tossing 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).
 
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.
 
HILL ON THE HILL:
Andrew Hill picked up his first win of the season going 4.0 innings allowing only two runs with one unearned with five strikeouts helping propel Oakland to a 5-3 win over the Dayton in the first leg of a doubleheader (3/6).
 
NO NONSENSE NIERMAN:
Hayden Nierman leads the staff is in saves (3) and is third on the team in strikeouts (39). 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 with five strikeouts at Dayton (3/6).
 
WOSINSKI WORKING HIS WAY BACK:
After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2020, Jacob Wosinski made his season debut against PFW and also started game four vs UIC. He has made four appearances with 5.2 innings pitches and two strikeouts.
 
RETURN TO ACTION: Oakland returned to action at Youngstown State after a 14-day hiatus in all team activities due to COVID-related matters among the team's Tier I personnel. With the pause and mandatory quarantine following University and Horizon League protocols, the home series against Valparaiso (April 9-11) and Wright State (April 16-18) were canceled.
 
A LONG TIME COMING - 716 DAYS BETWEEN HOME GAMES:
Prior to the home opening series against UIC on Friday, March 26, 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:
Oakland's series against UIC also marked the first the Oakland 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.
 
HORIZON LEAGUE SEASON REWIND:
Oakland falls in walk-off fashion twice at YSU
Oakland dropped a four-game set a Youngstown State losing 4-3 twice in walk-off fashion. Lorenzo Elion retuned to the starting line up to lead the Golden Grizzlies in batting (.357) going 5-for-14 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored with seven total bases. Tyler Trovinger was second (.286) with a pair of hits and RBI followed by Michael Stygles and Jared Miller who each hit .267. Stygles and Cam Post also led the team with three RBI.
 
Oakland snapped skid with win over Milwaukee
- Bryce Konitzer delivered a solid performance on the mound posting a career-high 10 strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work leading Oakland to an 8-5 win over Milwaukee in game one of a doubleheader which snapped a nine-game skid in Horizon League play. Cam Post went 2-for-3 on the day with a home run, a walk and three RBI. Michael Stygles hit 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Brandon Heidal went 1-for-2 with two RBI while Jared Miller also contributed with one hit in four trips to the plate while adding a triple.
 
- In the nightcap, Post racked up four hits with two doubles and two RBI to lead the Golden Grizzlies. Miller compiled a standout performance as well, going 3-for-6 with a double, a home run and two RBI. Brenton Phillips also chipped in putting together three hits in six trips to the plate while adding a double and three RBIs. The Golden Grizzlies then came up short, 14-13, falling in a wild game that was called in the top of the ninth inning due to darkness.
 
- Reagan Paulina hit his second home run of the season, Drew Collins posted his first career triple while Tyler Trovinger and Michael Stygles each recorded three hits as Oakland fell 15-2 and 8-5 to Milwaukee in the series-opening doubleheader on Friday. Josh Dudden also recorded a two-run single.
 
Oakland swept by UIC in first home series in 716 days
- After dropping the home opener, 8-2 (3/26), Michael Stygles went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI while Cam Post hit 3-for-4 with an RBI as Oakland received contributions from every part of their lineup with all nine starters reaching base safely. However, their late-inning rally came up as the Golden Grizzlies fell to UIC, 11-6, in game one of a doubleheader (3/27).
 
- The Golden Grizzlies fell 15-2 in game three but battled back in game four as Seth Tucker went 2-for-3 with a double scoring both of Oakland runs while Josh Dudden and Brandon Heidal each recorded a hit as the Golden Grizzlies held a 2-1 lead heading into the ninth inning but could not hold on as UIC added four runs en route to a 5-2 win (3/28).
 
- For the series, Seth Tucker and Gabe Lux lead the way both hitting .300 followed by Brandon Heidal (.286). Stygles recoded a home run and double leading the team with four RBI.
 
Oakland Concluded 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.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SEASON REWIND:
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.

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