ROCHESTER, MICH. – Riding a two-game win streak and fresh off winning a series with the Wright State Raiders for the first time since joining the Horizon League in 2013, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies return to conference action this Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, by welcoming in the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons for a three-game home set.

The series begins with a Friday doubleheader, the first of which is slated for 1 p.m., followed by the finale on Saturday, which will be live streamed on ESPN+, at 2 p.m.

Oakland will enter the weekend at 7-11 (2-1).

Offensively, the Golden Grizzlies have been one of the Horizon League's best in 2022, ranking fourth in team batting average (.250), third in on-base percentage (.355) and slugging percentage (.366), and racking up a conference-high 35 stolen bases.

Freshman third baseman Brandon Nigh, a Temperance Bedford product, has been at the forefront of this offensive attack, leading Oakland with a .314 batting average (11-35), a total which ranks 10^th in the Horizon League, and has belted two home runs and driven in 10 runs.

Junior designated hitter Ian Cleary has supplied much of the Golden Grizzlies' thump, leading the team in both home runs (four) and RBI (12), the former being good for second in the league.

Helping to provide balance throughout the lineup, graduate student center fielder Seth Tucker has touched home plate a league-leading 15 times and boasts a .292 (14-48) batting average.

SCOUTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Winning the middle of a three-game home series with Youngstown State from March 18-20, the Mastodons enter play at 2-17 in 2022, including a 1-14 mark on the road.

Junior catcher Cade Fitzpatrick leads the way for the Purdue Fort Wayne offense, hitting .348 (16-46) with four home runs and seven RBI. While he is only hitting .197 (13-66), redshirt senior second baseman Braedon Blackford has some power in his left-handed bat, also arriving with four home runs and a team-best 11 runs driven in.

Scheduled to throw the first game, freshman right-hander Rex Stills has been the Mastodons' second-best starter, tallying a 1.90 WHIP in his 10 frames. Out of the bullpen, fellow freshman righty Braxton Wilson and junior Kyle Maurer, another right-hander, have been third-year head coach Doug Schreiber's top options, combining to throw 21 innings over 14 appearances.

SERIES VS. PURDUE FORT WAYNE
First clashing on April 17, 2009, the Mastodons hold a narrow 16-14 edge in the all-time series. The Golden Grizzlies have won the last three meetings, however, which came on May 21-22, 2021.

Since Purdue Fort Wayne joined the Horizon League in 2020, the programs have split their eight contests.

PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday (first game)

Oakland Chas Sagedahl (So. LHP) 1-3, 11.37 ERA, 19 IP, 6 BB, 20 SO
Purdue Fort Wayne Rex Stills (Fr. RHP) 0-2, 5.40 ERA, 10 IP, 9 BB, 6 SO

Friday (second game)

Oakland Brett Hagen (R-Jr. RHP) 1-1, 4.91 ERA, 22 IP, 5 BB, 8 SO
Purdue Fort Wayne Mitchell Spencer (R-So. RHP) 1-1, 3.67 ERA, 27 IP, 10 BB, 21 SO

Saturday

Oakland Jacob Wosinski (R-Sr. RHP) 2-2, 3.57 ERA, 22.2 IP, 10 BB, 23 SO
Purdue Fort Wayne Justin Miller (Sr. LHP) 0-5, 9.13 ERA, 22.2 IP, 15 BB, 25 SO

POST LOOKS TO CONTINUE HIT STREAK
Dating to the first game of the March 20 doubleheader at Wright State, graduate student left fielder/catcher Cam Post has hit safely in three straight games, going 3-12 (.250) with two doubles, two runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base over that span.

On the season, the New Lenox, Ill. native has started all 18 games and is seventh on the team with a .254 (17-67) batting average.