ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies baseball team will look to build off its four-game win streak as it hosts Purdue Fort Wayne in its first Horizon League home weekend series, with a doubleheader set for Saturday (April 13) and the final game Sunday (April 14).
 
The Golden Grizzlies were originally scheduled to face the Mastodons today (Friday) but due to the weather forecast, the game was pushed to tomorrow (Saturday) for a doubleheader. Oakland will also face its first Horizon League opponent at home this season as it was scheduled to play Youngstown State earlier this season but it was moved to Ohio due to weather.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (16-16, 7-5 HL) have won its last four games, and its last three league series, as Oakland has taken nine of its last 11 games. The Golden Grizzlies took care of business last weekend against the Panthers as it swept Milwaukee on the road, and followed it up with a 20-17 weekday win over Eastern Michigan.
 
In its sweep over Milwaukee, Oakland scored 16 runs compared to Milwaukee's nine as two of the three wins were decided by two or less runs. In the series opener, the Golden Grizzlies only tallied a trio of hits with a trio of runs but came away with the win, 3-1, as Hunter Pidek turned in a quality start with five strikeouts and no earned in six innings pitched. The Golden Grizzlies followed it up with a one-run win, 6-5, as a four-run eighth inning propelled the team to a win. In the series closer and the second leg of the doubleheader, Oakland had a bigger margin of victory as the team scored seven runs between the fifth, sixth and seventh inning to win, 7-3.
 
The team kept it rolling as it traveled to Ypsilanti to face the Eastern Michigan Eagles in a high-scoring affair as the Golden Grizzlies scored15 runs in the final three innings of the game to take down the Eagles, 20-17. Carter Hain led the team with eight RBI as he tacked on a grand slam along with a three-run home run.
 
Hain leads the Golden Grizzlies with a .393 batting average and is t-2nd on the team in RBI with 30. Ahead of him is Lucas Day who paces the Golden Grizzlies with 33 off nine doubles and eight home runs. He sits second on the team in hits with 39, as Reggie Bussey is ahead with 40. On the bump, Pidek leads the team with three wins as he's given up 52 hits in 41.1 innings pitched, as Brandon Decker leads regularly starting pitchers with a 6.62 ERA.
 
The Golden Grizzlies get outhit by its opposition, 348-328, but have scored 38 more runs with 274. Oakland has nearly eclipsed a .300 batting average with a .297 as it allows its opponents to hit at a .314 rate, as Oakland has less doubles, triples and home runs in total. The Golden Grizzlies, however, rank second in the NCAA in stolen bases with 97 and have only allowed 17 steals.
 
SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (12-20, 6-6 HL) enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak but won its most recent series against Northern Kentucky. The team picked up another league series win earlier in the season as it took two of three against Youngstown State, but dropped series against Wright State and Milwaukee.
 
Oakland holds a winning record over the Mastodons, at 24-17, as the team holds a 10-game win streak against Purdue Fort Wayne which dates back to 2022. The Golden Grizzlies have taken 13 of the last 14 and are 13-7 on its home field. During its last series, the Golden Grizzlies grabbed 10+ runs in all three games as it won its most recent game, 12-9. Brandon Heidal led the team with a trio of RBI, as Brandon Nigh, Ian Cleary and Reggie Bussey all accounted for the 12-run total.
 
The Mastodons get outhit, 351-299, as it has scored more than 100 less runs than its opponents. With a batting average of .278, the team allows a .328 batting average and has been struck out 267 times. Purdue Fort Wayne has hit 51 doubles, seven triples and 27 home runs as it only outpaces its opponents in the triples category with one more.
 
Justin Osterhouse leads the team with a .390 batting average, 46 hits and 34 RBI as he's laid down seven doubles and nine home runs. Jacob Walker is right behind him with a .347 batting average and 42 hits with 18 RBI. On the mound, both Carter Sabol and Kevin Fee lead the team with four wins as Sabol holds a 3.86 ERA with 18 earned in 42.0 innings pitched.
 
First pitch from the Oakland Baseball Field is slated for 12:30 Saturday, April 13, with game two of the doubleheader to follow.