FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Their sixth Horizon League series win in nine tries this season, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies defeated Purdue Fort Wayne, 11-5, on Friday, May 12 at Mastodon Field.
Ending with the same score as Thursday's series opener, Oakland extends their win streak to a season-long five games and moves to 24-27 (15-11 Horizon League), while Purdue Fort Wayne has now dropped 12 consecutive and is 10-40 (6-20).
Making his 21st appearance of the year, all of which have come in relief, junior right-hander
Brandon Decker picked up his sixth win for the Golden Grizzlies by working 4.1 innings from the fourth through the eighth, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out seven.
This sixth win ties Decker with Greg Iffinger (1977) and Jeff Trax (1980) for the ninth-most in a season in program history.
Redshirt senior
Sean Fekete, a fellow righty, made his sixth start, going the first 3.2 frames and giving up four runs, only two of which were earned, on four hits with three walks and a trio of strikeouts.
Junior right-hander
Ben Paugh recorded the final three outs in his second appearance in the last three games.
Beginning with his run-scoring single in the first, senior left fielder
Ian Cleary led the charge offensively by going 4-5 with two doubles, two runs and four RBI, giving him a team-leading 34 on the year.
Junior designated hitter
Lucas Loos went 2-4 with three RBI and graduate student first baseman
Gabe Lux also tallied multiple hits and drove in a run.
Paced by two from graduate student second baseman
Jared Miller, his fifth and sixth of the season, Oakland stole eight bases Friday, the most in a game since the program transitioned to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level in 1998.
Giving up three runs on three hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts, Lafayette, Indiana freshman righty Brody Fine (1-6) took the loss for the Mastodons, while Noblesville, Indiana senior second baseman Cade Nelis was their lone player to record multiple hits for the second consecutive day.
GRIZZVISION WITH HEAD COACH JORDON BANFIELD
UP NEXT
These two will round out their series on Saturday, May 13 at 2 p.m.
In search of career win No. 14, senior left-hander
Travis Densmore (5-5, 5.64 ERA, 59 IP) will go for Oakland, while Purdue Fort Wayne has not announced their starting pitcher.
