ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies baseball team looks to bounce back with a big home Horizon League series in its sights as it hosts Wright State for a three game series following a quick weekday trip to Bowling Green.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (23-20, 12-9 HL) dropped its series on the road against Youngstown State but came away with a win to cap off the weekend. The team bounced back from a Penguins walk off and won, 11-2, as Oakland held Youngstown State to three runs while the Golden Grizzlies tallied six runs in the eighth. Ian Cleary led the day with four RBI off a grand slam while Brandon Decker went seven innings and struck out nine with just two earned.
 
The team nears a .300 batting average as it hits at a .296 clip, with 435 hits, but allows its opponents to hit at a .315 clip with 476 hits. The Golden Grizzlies have recorded 82 doubles, 21 triples and 47 home runs for 323 RBI, 11 more than its opposition. The Golden Grizzlies are t-16th in the NCAA with 254 walks and t-18th nationally in hit by pitches with 87, and are five behind the no. 1 spot in the nation in triples with 21. Oakland is second in the NCAA with 132 stolen bases as it's only been caught stealing 27 times.
 
Carter Hain leads the team with a .347 batting average with 34 hits, while Reggie Bussey holds the team lead with 54 hits as Bussey continues his on-base streak at 42-straight games. Brandon Nigh holds the team lead in both doubles (14) and home runs (nine), as he's also atop the RBI list with 41. Decker leads the pitching core with five with and 64 strikeouts, while the two-way pitcher also leads with six of the Golden Grizzlies nine saves.
 
Both Trent Rice and Bussey rank in the top-5 in the nation in stolen bases with 33 and 28, respectively, as the Golden Grizzlies are the only team to have two players in the top-20. During the weekend series against the Penguins, Rice tied the Golden Grizzlies record for most stolen bases in a season, set by Mike Armstrong in 1995.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
The Bowling Green Falcons (23-14, 18-3 MAC) face the Golden Grizzlies on no days of rest as it faces Toledo Tuesday (April 30) following a weekend conference series loss against Kent State.
 
The two teams met earlier this season at the Oakland Baseball Field (April 2) as the Golden Grizzlies held an 18-17 lead after six innings before play was suspended due to field conditions. Eight of the Golden Grizzlies 18 runs came in the first innings as it took an 8-2 lead, but the game flipped in the first three innings as the game was tied, 11-11, as the Falcons scored eight in the third. The Falcons appeared to take a commanding lead, with five runs in the fifth but Oakland answered with five of its own. Bowling Green added one more as Oakland tallied two in the sixth before the umpires deemed the playing surface unsafe as the Golden Grizzlies led, 18-17. The game will be resumed in the seventh prior to the start of its regularly scheduled nine-inning game.
 
Oakland last won on Steller Field in 2011 as it dropped its most recent road game against the Falcons in 2019. To date, the Golden Grizzlies are 3-3 on the road and look to push itself above .500.
 
The team bats better than its opponents with a .307 batting average and 404 hits, while it has allowed 385 hits for a .300 batting average. With 63 doubles, nine triples and 63 home runs, the Falcons have totaled 332 RBI as its opponents have knocked down 75 doubles, four triples and 51 home runs. The team has been struck out 292 times with 60 stolen bases and have drawn 227 walks.
 
Garrett Wright leads the team with a .378 batting average as Nathan Archer leads the team with 55 hits and 46 RBI, along with the team lead with 12 doubles and 14 home runs. Three Falcons have totaled four wins as DJ Newman leads starting pitchers with a 3.61 ERA.
 
April 2nd's suspended game will pick up in the seventh inning at 12:00 p.m. ET from Steller Field Wednesday, May 1, followed by its regularly scheduled nine-inning game to follow shortly after.
 
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
The Wright State Raiders (25-18, 14-7 HL) are atop the Horizon League standings by a game and lead the Golden Grizzlies by a pair with three weeks remaining. The Raiders enter the weekend series with no weekday games as it holds a four-game win streak, including a walk-off win over Ohio State and a sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
The Golden Grizzlies look to take the season series against the Raiders as it took two-out-of-three earlier this season, including a 19-1 game that ended in seven innings. Oakland is 4-12 at home against the Raiders as it won one game against the Raiders on the Oakland Baseball Field last season.
 
Although the team has a .324 batting average, its opponents hit better with a .328 batting average with 506 hits, compared to Wright State's 496. With 100 doubles, 12 triples and 90 home runs, the Raiders are t-9th in home runs as it has batted in 388 runs.
 
Sammy Sass leads the team with a .407 batting average with a team-high 68 hits as he paces the team with 18 doubles. Ben Vore leads the Raiders with 62 RBI and second with 16 home runs, as Jay Luikart leads the 17 home runs. On the mound, Jake Shirk leads the team with 53 innings pitched as Garret Simpson leads the team with four wins.
 
First pitch from the Oakland Baseball Field is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, May 3, followed by a 2:00 p.m. ET start time Saturday (May 4) and a 1:00 p.m. first pitch Sunday (May 5).