Baseball

Oakland (1-16) dropped all three games in the series against Indiana State University (8-4, 9-5 and 5-4, respectively).

In the series opener, the Golden Grizzlies held the lead through five innings, until the Sycamores’ four-run sixth inning gave them a 5-2 advantage. Oakland added two runs in the seventh inning with an RBI-triple by Myles Zilinsky and RBI-single by Tyler Pagano. Ryan Fitzgerald hit his first career home run in the top of the second inning, finishing 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

In game two, Oakland was down 2-0 when Zilinsky hit an RBI-single in the second inning, followed by a three-run home run by Zach Sterry to give the Black and Gold a 4-2 lead. Indiana State responded with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Tyler Janish cut the Sycamore lead in half with an RBI-double in the fourth inning. ISU scored two runs in the fifth inning and one in the seventh to take the win.

In the series finale on Sunday, the Black and Gold were trailing 2-0 in the third inning when Janish got his first career home run and put the Golden Grizzlies on the board. After Sterry’s sixth-inning triple, Zilinsky drove him in with a ground ball to second base to tie the game at 2. Ben Hart hit a RBI-single to give Oakland its first lead of the game. However, ISU rose to Oakland’s challenge with a run in the seventh and eighth innings to regain the lead going into the top of the ninth. ISU tied the game again with a two-out RBI-single, then loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, leading to a walk-off single that won the game.

The Golden Grizzlies open Horizon League play Friday, March 24 with a three-day series against Youngstown State.

Softball

Oakland (7-9) was defeated by Morehead State in a doubleheader (3-0 and 3-2) on Sunday, March 19 on the road. In game one, Oakland had five hits, two of which came from Devon Smith, but left five runners on base. All three of Morehead State’s runs came off two home runs.

In game two, Smith and Brittney Miller each recorded three hits. After MSU took a 2-0 lead off a home run, Kelsie Swanson grounded out to bring Jackie Reitmeyer home in the fourth inning. Miller tied the game in the sixth inning on an RBI-single to plate Abbey Walewski. However, Morehead State’s Ellen Barrett hit a walk-off home run, ending the game in the seventh inning and giving the Eagles a 3-2 win.

Oakland heads to Mount Pleasant for a doubleheader against Central Michigan on Wednesday, March 22.

Women’s tennis

The Golden Grizzlies (4-7) fell to Ball State 6-1 at the Muncie YMCA Tennis Center on Sunday, March 19. Oakland lost all of its double matches and five out of six single matches. Daria Artamonova earned Oakland’s only point with a 6-4, 3-6, 10-8 No. 2 singles win. The team faces Green Bay at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 at Bloomfield Tennis & Fitness.