DAYTON, Ohio – Two programs squaring off for the second time in less than 24 hours, the No. 2 Oakland Golden Grizzlies held off the No. 5 Youngstown State Penguins, 4-2, in Game No. 7 of the Horizon League Tournament on Friday, May 27.
With the win, the Golden Grizzlies improved to 31-26 and advanced to the championship series of the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since joining the conference for the 2014 season.
Picking up his team-best fifth win, junior left-hander
Travis Densmore was excellent, allowing just two runs (one earned) on eight hits with three walks and a career-high nine strikeouts over seven innings.
In three starts against Youngstown State this season, Densmore went 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 21.1 innings, completing at least seven frames in each outing.
Dealing with baserunners on second and third with one out in the eighth and Oakland clinging to a 3-2 lead, sophomore righty
Brandon Decker came up with consecutive strikeouts of senior catcher Dylan Swarmer and redshirt sophomore shortstop Trey Law to escape the jam.
Decker also handled the ninth and left with a two-inning save, his fourth of the year.
The Golden Grizzlies scored in the first on a single by redshirt senior right fielder
Brenton Phillips and added another run in the second on a single by senior first baseman
Gabe Lux.
After that, Oakland's next run would not come until the eighth when Lux scored graduate student left fielder
Cam Post with a two-out bunt single on a 1-1 offering from senior right-hander Chad Coles.
Coles appeared in the game just one night after throwing 126 pitches over 6.2 innings in the Golden Grizzlies' 2-0 win over the Penguins Thursday.
Normally used as Youngstown State's closer, junior southpaw Nathan Ball made his first career start Friday, lasting 1.1 innings and giving up three runs on three hits with three walks and a trio of strikeouts. Sophomore righty Nick Perez gave the Penguins 18 great outs from the second through eighth, allowing just one run on two hits with a walk and he sent down four on strikes.
Up next
With the tournament championship and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line, Oakland will battle the No. 1 Wright State Raiders at 12 p.m. Saturday.
Using the double-elimination format, the Golden Grizzlies will need to beat Wright State in two consecutive games, while the Raiders can wrap up the tournament title with a lone win.
If Oakland can win Game No. 8, the decisive Game No. 9 will be held at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday.
All games of the Horizon League Baseball Tournament are broadcast live on ESPN+ and an updated copy of the bracket is available at horizonleague.org.
