ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Softball will host a final home double header against the IUPUI Jaguars on Wednesday, May 4 at the Oakland Softball Field starting at noon. 

The Golden Grizzlies and Jaguars last played a four-game series back in March of 2021 which resulted in a 3-1 series victory for the visiting Oakland squad capped off by a 12-1 five inning game. All-time, Oakland is 15-16 against IUPUI as the team looks to gain the all-time lead in the double header. 

Lauren Griffith is still the NCAA's leader in doubles per game at .48 with the best mark both on the team and in the Horizon League with 14 total on the year with a .376 batting average. Madison Jones and Allisa DiPrima occupy spots in the top ten ERAs in the league at .325 and .378, respectively, as Jones is the team's leader in home runs at six.

Sydney Campbell has a 1.77 earned run average, the 60th-best in the NCAA and second-best in the Horizon League with 129 strikeouts in 641 at bats with an overall mark of 17-7. The LaGrange, Ohio native went 3-1 last week against Youngstown State and Robert Morris for her second Horizon League Nike #HLSB Pitcher of the Week honor.

Oakland dropped one spot in the NCAA Softball RPI to 136th, still holding on to the best ranking in the Horizon League ahead of second-place Robert Morris at 157th, respectively. 

SCOUTING REPORT

IUPUI

At 10-35 overall and 7-14 in conference play, the Jaguars are effectively eliminated from Horizon League Tournament competition following the team's latest 0-3 series loss against Green Bay in Wisconsin. 

Kendal Calvert is the only Jaguar with a batting average above a .300 at .308 as she holds a 14-17 stolen base attempt. A team-leading eight doubles belong to Rachael Gregory while Maicey Bedrick has the second-most triples in the Horizon League at three.

IUPUI's best ERA is a 3.08 in Madison Bryant who is 5-20 on the year allowing 101 hits and 58 earned runs with 88 walks. Isabelle Waggner is at a 3.93 ERA and is 3-6 on the season. Carley Metcalf has the second-most appearances on the team with a 10.87 ERA. 
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ETCHED IN HISTORY
Lauren Karn is now Oakland's all-time winningest head coach in program history following a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Youngstown State in the second game of a double header back on April 26 for her 92nd win and counting.

WINNING IN EAST LANSING
The Golden Grizzlies beat Michigan State on the road in East Lansing on April 5 for the first time since 2011 in the 10-5 route behind Griffith's perfect appearance at the plate going 4-4 with three RBI while Jones would go 3-4 with four runs, three RBI, and her fourth home run of the season.

BIG 200 K.O.s 
Campbell punched out her 200th career batter against PFW on April 2 as the LaGrange, Ohio native boasted a 0.55 ERA against the Mastodons. Campbell also knocked down a career-high 11 batters in the team's win over Detroit Mercy on April 9. 

#HLSB SWEEPS
Oakland swept NKU in the Horizon League series opener 3-0 in Highland Heights to start perfect in league play before going 3-0 against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on the weekend of April 1. 

NEAR UPSET ALERT
Oakland started off strong against the Seminoles behind Lauren Griffith's RBI home run to lead 3-0 before FSU would go on to tie at 3-3 then explode out to a 6-3 advantage behind a fiery bottom of the sixth. Griffith would then slap an RBI double to left center as OU pulled within one run at 6-5 before a groundout to second would dash the Golden Grizzlies' hopes.

HEATED UP IN CHAMPIONSHIP
The Golden Grizzlies finished 26-16 overall, 23-11 in Horizon League play last season that concluded in the Horizon League Conference Tournament after No. 2 seed Oakland upset No. 1 seed Youngstown State only to fall to No. 3 seed UIC in the championship match 4-3. 

ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES
Following the 2021 season, five Golden Grizzly athletes were named to #HLSB All-League honors in Cammie Brummitt, Lauren Griffith, Madison Jones, Sydney Campbell, and Jen Krizka. Brummitt, Griffith, and Jones were named to First Team honors as position players while Campbell was one of two to be listed as a First Team Pitcher. Krizka then followed suit with an  All-League Second Team accolade.

RETURNING POWER
Oakland returns all five of the previously mentioned names with an average batting average of .373 as Jones returns to the line up with a team-high .411 average from 2021. Jones was also 15-16 on stolen base attempts and racked up a tying team-high of 13 doubles and seven home runs for a .738 slugging percentage.

Campbell returns to the circle after a 17-7 season a year ago with 91 strikeouts through 165.2 innings pitched to allow 46 earned runs for an ERA of 1.94. 

THE FAVORITE? OAKLAND
The Golden Grizzlies were picked first in the #HLSB Preseason Poll with two first-place votes and 82 in total ahead of Youngstown State who garnered five first-place votes and 81 total, respectively. UIC was third with 74 points (two first-place votes) while Robert Morris (62) and Green Bay (49) rounded out the top five. 

2022 RECRUITING CLASS
The Golden Grizzlies added five student-athletes to the roster for the 2022 season in Kamryn Troyer, Maraina Smith, Jenna Johnston, Kayla Rodriguez, and Taylor Carraway. 

KARN EXTENDED
Head Softball Coach, Lauren Karn, had her contract extended through 2025 as the fifth-year coach has coached 11 student-athletes to All-Horizon League honors while reaching the conference tournament three times with two of those being runner-up performances. Ahead of the 2022 campaign, Karn is 19 wins away from being the all-time winningest coach.