ROCHESTER, Mich. – Playing their first game of the 2023 season on the new turf of the Oakland Baseball Field, the Golden Grizzlies were defeated by the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 7-5, in a matinee game on Tuesday, March 28.

Tuesday was the first of a 10-game homestand for Oakland, who is now 8-14 (2-4 Horizon League), while the Eagles, a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), move a game above .500 at 11-10 (4-5).

The two clubs combined for six home runs in this game, three for each team, and graduate student shortstop Taylor Hopkins starting the scoring for Eastern Michigan by hitting a solo shot to right center field in the fourth.

Doubling the Eagle lead to 2-0, Hopkins homered again in the sixth, but the Golden Grizzlies answered back in their half of the frame when senior left fielder Ian Cleary tied the game with a two-run blast to right center, his second home run in the last four games.

Still in the sixth and just four batters later, graduate student second baseman Jared Miller gave Oakland its first lead of the day, 4-2, with another two-run home run to right center, his first of the season.

Miller also recorded an infield single in the eighth inning, giving him his first multiple-hit game of 2023.

Junior right fielder Lucas Loos, a John Wood (Quincy, Illinois) Community College transfer, extended the Golden Grizzly lead to 5-2 in the seventh with a solo shot off the left field scoreboard, not only his first home run of the campaign but his first hit, too.

Eastern Michigan recorded the final home run of the afternoon, though, and it was a pivotal one, as graduate student right fielder Kyle Schroedle tied the contest at five with a three-run big fly to left center in the eighth.

Moving ahead to the ninth, the Eagles tallied the game's first runs not courtesy of the long ball, with the first coming on a single off the bat of sophomore first baseman Josh Kross and the second when graduate student designated hitter Matt Kirk scored on an errant throw on a double play attempt, giving themselves a 7-5 advantage.

Oakland did not generate anything in the bottom of the ninth and senior left-hander Trevor House picked up his second win of the year for Eastern Michigan, while graduate student righty Thomas House, his older brother, registered the final two outs for his first save.

Entering in the eighth inning and taking care of the final five outs, left-handed graduate student Christian Stelling took the loss for the Golden Grizzlies, moving him to 1-3.

6-foot-4 Franklin, Wisconsin freshman right-hander Jaxson Easterlin made his first career start and fifth appearance for Oakland Tuesday and was impressive, allowing just the one run on the Hopkins home run with a lone walk and two strikeouts over five innings.

UP NEXT
Continuing this 10-game home stay, Oakland will play their second consecutive game against a MAC opponent by welcoming in the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Wednesday, March 29 at 2:30 p.m.

These two clubs just played back in Oxford on Tuesday, March 21, with the Golden Grizzlies prevailing, 12-9.

Freshman left-hander Tanner Ware (0-1, 4 IP) will start for Oakland, while Mattawan's Carson Byers (0-1, 16 IP), a fellow freshman southpaw, will go for the RedHawks.