Golden Grizzlies Prepare for Busy Weekend at Chanticleer Showdown

CONWAY, S.C. - The Golden Grizzlies prepare for their second weekend classic of the season as they play in the Chanticleer Showdown, hosted by Coastal Carolina University.

Oakland will play in five games from Friday, Mar. 1 to Sunday, Mar. 3.

The Golden Grizzlies will play a pair of games on Friday, taking on Yale at 9 a.m. and Iona at 4:30 p.m., before playing another pair of games on Saturday where they will take on in-state rival Michigan State at 2 p.m. and host school CCU in a 7 p.m. nightcap.

Their matchup against MSU will be the first of two meetings between the in-state opponents this season. The Golden Grizzlies are slated to visit East Lansing in a late-season mid-week game on May 1.

Oakland will close out their weekend bunch of games with a third and final faceoff against CCU on Sunday, Mar. 3, at 11:15 a.m.

The showdown actually started on Thursday, where the Golden Grizzlies and Chanticleers added an extra game to their schedules. In the game the Golden Grizzlies fought hard, but fell to the Chanticleers 1-2.

The Golden Grizzlies are coming off their best five game start in five years, and their offensive firepower is their identity thus far. Although not a ton of power hitting, Oakland has six players hitting over .300.

Last week's #HLSB Player of the week Jen Krizka has been the lead bat for the Golden Grizzlies. She ranks seventh in the nation in batting average (.562), but Krizka isn't the only player with a fiery bat thus far. Brooklyn Plitz is having quite a start to her career, the freshman from Macomb, Mich is second on the team in BA (.357) and has five hits and six runs scored. Reese Ruhlman and Maggie Murphy have also shown the ability to get on base and constantly put the Golden grizzlies in position to score.

In the circle, reigning #HLSB Pitcher of the week Sydney Campbell has been great, despite a 1-2 record. She ranks T-25th in the nation in hits allowed per seven innings (3.23). Oakland's entire pitching rotation looks deeper than it has in years, with Mary Newton and Alyssa Balcom also having strong performances to start their seasons, with Mia Knyvka also having a win to her resume already as well.

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Players Mentioned

#42 Sydney Campbell: RHP; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#11 Jen Krizka: C/1B; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#14 Reese Ruhlman: SS/UTL; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#20 Alyssa Balcom: P/1B; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#1 Mary Newton: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#15 Brooklyn Plitz: IF/OF; 5' 3"; Freshman; L/L

#10 Maggie Murphy: IF; 5' 9"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#42 Sydney Campbell
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: RHP

#11 Jen Krizka
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: C/1B

#14 Reese Ruhlman
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: SS/UTL

#20 Alyssa Balcom
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: P/1B

#1 Mary Newton
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#15 Brooklyn Plitz
: 5' 3"; Freshman; L/L
: IF/OF

#10 Maggie Murphy
: 5' 9"; Junior; R/R
: IF