DAYTON, Ohio — The [5] Oakland Golden Grizzlies (13-41, 5-19 HL) fell to [3] Wright State (26-26, 17-7 HL) in game three of the Horizon League Baseball Tournament before eliminating [3] Northern Kentucky in the evening's elimination game. Despite an early lead with five runs in the first three innings in the first postseason contest, Oakland could not hold off Wright State's late surge, highlighted by a three-run seventh inning for a 7-5 final. The opposite transpired in the nightcap with NKU, 5-3, as OU scored three runs in the fourth inning to establish a lead it maintained for the remainder of the game.
"It was a really good day of baseball from the Grizzlies. It took us a long time for us to play this way, but better late than never," said head coach
Brian Nelson. "Coming off of a disappointing loss in our first game today, I was really challenging our guys to find it inside of them, to will themselves into this victory."
GAME ONE: Wright State 7, Oakland 5
Fifth-year
Kyle Revere scored two runs and drew a walk, showcasing his ability to get on base for the Black and Gold. Junior
Aidan Orr contributed with two hits and also crossed the plate twice, as redshirt-sophomore
Lucas Day collected two hits and drove in three runs, leading the team in RBIs.
Oakland opened the game with a strong first inning. Revere walked, then advanced to third on a single by Orr and a throwing error. Redshirt-junior
Sam Griffith grounded out, allowing Revere to score. Day singled to bring in Orr, giving Oakland an early 2-0 lead. Wright State responded with a run, leaving the score 2-1 in favor of Oakland.
In the third frame, the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead. Revere reached on a fielder's choice, and Orr was hit by a pitch. Sophomore
Sam Patton singled to load the bases before Day's single through the right side brought home Revere and Orr.
Aidan Schuck followed up with a single to score Patton, increasing Oakland's advantage by four runs.
Wright State closed the gap in the fourth with a two-run homer before the seventh inning saw a shift in momentum as Wright State scored three runs, aided by a sacrifice fly and a fielding error, to take a 6-5 lead.
In the eighth inning, Wright State added an insurance run on a sacrifice, making it 7-5.
Freshman right-hander
Josh Rosenblitt pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs while delivering a strikeout. Senior
Jaxson Easterlin came in relief and pitched 1.2 innings, yielding two runs off of three hits with one strikeout, before sophomore
Wyatt Ruppenthal contributed 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and an earned run. Freshman
Tagertt Dillard closed with 1/3 inning, efficiently throwing three strikes in three pitches without allowing a hit.
GAME TWO: Oakland 5, Northern Kentucky 3
Redshirt-sophomore
Tony Konopiots recorded two runs and added an RBI while stealing a base. Day contributed with one hit and drove in a run as grad senior
Ethan Glassman pitched 4.2 innings and picked up six punchouts. Junior
Jordan Dahlof secured the win on the mound with 4 1/3 scoreless innings of work and allowing no hits.
After two scoreless innings to open the game, Clark singled up the middle and later scored on Day's RBI single to right center, to put Oakland on the scoreboard in the third inning.
The fourth frame saw the Golden Grizzlies extend their advantage. Grad senior
Carter Hain reached on a fielding error and eventually scored on a fielder's choice by Konopiots. Redshirt-senior
Jack Lux, who had singled, scored on redshirt-sophomore
Boston Halloran's single, and Konopiots crossed home on a wild pitch, making it a 4-0 ballgame.
Northern Kentucky responded in the fifth inning with three runs, narrowing the gap by just a run.
OU added an insurance run in the eighth inning. Konopiots singled, stole second, and scored on Schuck's RBI single through the right side.
Glassman started on the mound and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and three earned runs while striking out six. After a brief appearance on the bump from Dillard, Dahlof closed things down, pitching 4.1 innings without allowing a hit or run and securing the win.
The Golden Grizzlies will face the winner of the [1] Wright State/[2] Milwaukee game in an elimination match-up tomorrow, May 22. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 pm ET on ESPN+.
How to Follow Oakland Baseball: For complete information on Oakland Baseball, follow the team on X at
@OaklandBSB and head coach
Brian Nelson at
@CoachNelly11. The team is also on
Instagram.
