ROCHESTER, Mich. – Courtesy of a walk-off single by redshirt senior right fielder Brenton Phillips, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies topped the Northern Kentucky Norse, 5-4, in the first game of a Friday, May 13 doubleheader and dropped the second contest, 9-4.

With the 1-1 day, Oakland is now 26-24 (15-10 Horizon League), while Northern Kentucky is 16-29 (9-14).

Game 1

Oakland 5, Northern Kentucky 4

W: Sophomore right-hander Brandon Decker (4-4)

L: Freshman right-hander Andrew Mulhern (1-1)

Scoring thrice in the second inning and again in the sixth, the Norse held a 4-0 lead after five-and-a-half frames.

The Golden Grizzlies tied the tilt with four runs in their half of the sixth, with junior Ian Cleary – who pinch-hit for graduate student center fielder Seth Tucker – providing a two-RBI single for the latter two runs.

This 4-4 score was still in place in the bottom of the ninth when Oakland mounted a two-out rally. After senior first baseman Gabe Lux doubled, fellow seniors Michael Stygles and Jared Miller both drew walks – Miller's of the intentional variety – to set the stage for Phillips.

Seizing the moment, Phillips ripped a ball over the head of senior left fielder Brennan Gick that one-hopped up against the wall, allowing Lux to easily score the game-winning run.

Phillips was the lone Golden Grizzly to record multiple hits, finishing the game 3-for-5.

Working the final two stanzas, Decker picked up the win, while freshman righty Hunter Pidek also had a strong outing, allowing just one run over 4.1 innings with two strikeouts.

Game 2

Northern Kentucky 9, Oakland 4 (7 innings)

W: Redshirt senior right-hander TJ Graves (1-3)

L: Redshirt senior right-hander Jacob Wosinski (2-4)

Like in Game 1, the Norse jumped out to an early lead, scoring three times in the first, with two coming on a home run by Gick.

Redshirt junior shortstop Thomas Green made it a one-run game in the second with his fourth home run of the season, a monster shot that cleared the scoreboard in left field.

With two runs in the third, Northern Kentucky again went up by multiple runs, 5-2.

Oakland pulled within two in the fourth when sophomore catcher Brandon Heidal scored on a wild pitch and made it a one-run game again in the fifth on a Phillips dinger.

That would be the last run of the day for the Golden Grizzlies, though, as the Norse scored three more runs in the sixth and another in the seventh to bring the game to its 9-4 final.

In his 12^th start of the campaign, Wosinski took the loss for Oakland, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits over three innings with a walk and two strikeouts.

Freshman Aleksei Goldhill, Decker, and junior Brandon Deans combined to handle the final 12 outs.

Phillips again collected three hits, finishing the day 6-for-9, while Green and Heidal both added two.

Up next
In their final home action of the season, the Golden Grizzlies will battle the UIC Flames in a Sunday, May 15 doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

The Flames are currently in second place in the Horizon League at 13-8 (.619), while Oakland's 15-10 (.600) mark is good for third place.

If the Golden Grizzlies can win both games Sunday, they will jump UIC and move into second place.