The Golden Grizzlies’ record now stands at 14-13 overall, 5-4 in conference.

April 15, 10-4 Valpo

“It was a tough one,” left fielder Zach Sterry said after losing the series opener. “I thought the score didn’t show as well as we played today.”

“We only had six hits, but I think we hit the ball really hard and right at the guys, and I think if those fouled it would have been a different game,” Sterry said. “It’s tough to lose a six-game winning streak.”

Tyler Pagano and Ian Yetsko got an RBI and Sterry got two.

“I think we just made a few more mistakes on the mound today,” head coach John Musachio said. “[Pitches were] all over the plate, and they made us pay for it.”

“Both teams can swing the bats,” Musachio said, “but today they were a little bit better, and I tip my cap to those guys.”

In the top of the fifth, Valpo’s Daniel Delaney scored a two-run homer to make it 5-1. Oakland came back in the bottom of the six with three runs off a single by Sterry, a ground-out by Pagano and a sacrifice fly by Yetsko.

Shea Molitor of Valpo hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth to put it to 10-4.

Oakland had a rough time capitalizing on opportunities during Friday’s game, Musachio said.

“Those are things that we’ll address as a team, but baseball is a game of mistakes,” Musachio said. “We made a few small ones, a few mistakes that might not even go noticed by a lot of spectators, but things that we feel we should have executed.”

“When we didn’t, Valparaiso made us pay; whether it was a pick-off play, execution of a certain pitch, etc.,” Musachio said. “Those little things add up, and that’s ultimately what wins or loses a lot of baseball games.”

April 16, 11-0 Valpo

Oakland took another hit on Saturday.

“It’s obvious to me that our guys are a little bit shaken. But it’s two games, so we’ve got to regroup and show some more grit,” Musachio said in the GrizzVision interview with Dan Gliot. “We didn’t show any grit today, and I’m disappointed in our effort.

He said the team must improve.

“This is definitely a poor performance by a good baseball team,” Musachio said.  “At the end of the day, that’s my responsibility as head coach. And I can promise you: We’ll communicate a very clear message about what we need to do to play better.”

April 17, 5-3 Oakland

Propelled in part from a three-run homer by Mike Brosseau in the bottom of the fifth, Oakland won the last game of the weekend’s three-game series with Valpo.

Chris Van Dyke primed the mid-game jump start by walking and then advancing on a wild pitch. Matt DiLeo got on from a third baseman’s error. On an 0-2 count, Brosseau cracked it.

Tyler Palm pitched 6 1/3, allowed three runs, and got three strikeouts and the win.

“Those guys came up big today,” Musachio said in the GrizzVision interview with Dan Gliot. “We needed to come out today and find a way to salvage a win.”

They did. Musachio admitted it wasn’t pretty.

“We made quite a few mistakes,” Musachio said. “The baseball gods spared us. … A lot of times you get burnt there.”

The momentum of the win is important, he said.

“The guys are going to be going into finals week here with a good frame of mind; we’re above .500 in the league,” Musachio said. “In a week from now we’re going to be out of school, and we’re going to be feeling real good about things.”

Oakland plays at Northern Kentucky at noon ET on Friday, April 22.