MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – On Friday, Oakland University Softball outlasted Robert Morris University in extra innings, 4-2 at the North Athletic Complex in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. 

The home Colonials took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, getting a run across via a RBI double to right center where the score would hold for several innings. 

Oakland routinely went three-up-and-three-down through the next couple of innings as the game moved along to the top of the sixth where the Golden Grizzlies found some light.

Maci Brown's leadoff single plus a stolen base allowed for the junior to stand on second base as her teammate, Jen Krizka, smacked a single into right field that brought Brown around for the tying run as the tension deflated in Moon Township for Golden Grizzly patrons.

Heads-up defensive plays by Jenna Johnston at shortstop halted the Colonials' scoring efforts at home plate in the bottom of the frame, holding the game to a 1-1 tie as seven innings expired at the North Athletic Complex.

It didn't take long for the Golden Grizzlies to notch the game-winning run via a Reese Ruhlman hit-by-pitch, putting the senior on fist base as Madi Herrington's RBI double to right center granted Oakland a 2-1 lead in extra innings. 

Freshman Taylor Carraway's home run over the wall on the left field line gave the Golden Grizzlies a cushion, bringing herself along with Herrington across the dirt with a 4-2 lead.

Sydney Campbell needed three outs from the circle to secure the win, starting out the bottom of the eighth strong with two groundouts. Robert Morris was given an RBI single to center field to make things tense once more in metro Pittsburgh for a 4-2 game. But a flyout to the center field glove of Allisa DiPrima secured OU's 12th #HLSB victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Oakland is still in first in the #HLSB standings by a single game over Northern Kentucky, who has the weekend off and will play Youngstown State next weekend
• Herrington commanded a 3-4 plate appearance with an RBI
• Carraway earned her first career home run, two RBI in the slam
• Campbell is now 15-6 on the season, registering three strikeouts and an earned run in the game

Oakland will play Michigan in Ann Arbor once again in the team's final non-conference match of the 2023 season on Wednesday, May 3 at 6:00 pm.