It was a tremendously frustrating weekend for the Oakland men’s baseball team. Again, The Golden Grizzlies made their way down south to face off against the McNeese State Cowboys. While every game was extremely close, OU left Louisiana winless, dropping them to 1-6 in the early season.
Beginning the three-game stand at McNeese on Friday, Feb. 21, Oakland ran into a buzzsaw in Cowboys’ pitcher Alexis Gravel. Gravel had his way with the Golden Grizzlies all evening, finishing with 12 strikeouts in six innings with only two hits and two walks. He kept OU off the base paths and confused them on offense with his outstanding pitching.
Hunter Pidek of Oakland put up a great performance, as well. Pidek bounced back exceptionally well from a disastrous first start against Jacksonville State a few games ago. OU’s ace pitched seven innings of one-run ball against the Cowboys on Friday, surrendering his only run off a double to McNeese shortstop Easton Dowell. Pidek’s control was much better as he did not walk a single batter in this game compared to three walks and four hit-by-pitches in his first game.
Unfortunately for Pidek, Oakland couldn’t put any runs on the board to support him, so he was saddled with his second loss of the season as the Golden Grizzlies fell 0-1.
Both teams were right back at it early on Saturday, and the bats came to play this time. The Golden Grizzlies jumped on the Cowboys in the third inning, taking a quick 3-0 advantage. It began with back-to-back singles from left fielder John Lauinger and designated hitter Aidan Schuck. The bases were then loaded by a fielder’s choice play by second baseman Sam Griffith.
OU would get on the board as center fielder Trent Rice reached on an error by McNeese’s right fielder, bringing home Lauinger. RF Aidan Orr and shortstop Brandon Nigh put consecutive balls in play to score two more runs.
These Cowboys weren’t out of the picture just yet. McNeese got on the board in the bottom of the third with a double. In the next inning, catcher Mack Brousseau cranked a solo home run to bring the game within one run. Finally, in the sixth, the game was tied up after a single went through the middle to drive home one more run.
The Golden Grizzlies still had some fight left in them. After consecutive strikeouts swinging to begin the seventh, catcher Ben Clark reached base on a fielding error from McNeese. Lauinger and Schuck again came up huge, hitting back-to-back singles to score Clark and reclaim a one-run lead. It was short-lived, as McNeese tied it right back up at the bottom of the seventh.
With the Cowboys down to their very last out at the bottom of the ninth, Brousseau again came up to bat, and the result was the same. McNeese’s catcher hit yet another home run to walk off the game, winning it 5-4 for McNeese.
Recognition must be given to the Cowboys’ bullpen. The relievers were called on early and pitched six innings of one-run ball and threw 10 strikeouts. Sergio Lopez slammed the door on the Golden Grizzlies in the ninth when he retired the side with three strikeouts.
In the third and final game on Sunday afternoon, it appeared that a repeat of the first game was impending. Both teams remained scoreless until the sixth inning.
However, Oakland finally broke the seal with a score off a wild pitch. McNeese responded with two runs in the sixth inning as the Cowboys finally got to pitcher Brody Fahnestock. Fahnestock pitched a great game, going 5.1 innings with only one run and five hits, but he got shaky in the sixth and had to be pulled for Tanner Ware. Both Fahnestock and Ware surrendered a run in the sixth. Ware struggled greatly with his control, walking two batters and hitting another before finally getting an out to end the inning.
Reliever Andrew Landis of OU was lucky to escape the seventh inning with minimal damage. Landis allowed three hits and a run in his one inning of work, but the impact could’ve been worse.
Thankfully, Oakland’s bats were there to pick their pitchers up. Believe it or not, Lauinger and Schuck again hit consecutive singles. The bases were loaded with one out after a pitch hit DH Jack Lux.
Catcher Matthew McGann came through with a big fly-out, bringing in Lauinger for a run. A Rice single scored Schuck, tying up the game at three apiece.
In the bottom of the ninth, McNeese led off the inning with a walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runner to second. After McNeese’s Larry Edwards Jr. stole third, pitcher Ryan Uhlenhake of OU hit a batter, putting men on the corners. The Golden Grizzlies elected to intentionally walk McNeese’s leadoff batter, loading the bases.
And in the next at-bat, the Cowboys would walk it off again, this time by a single from second baseman Matt Stancliff.
Three games, three one-run losses. It was a very frustrating weekend for Oakland, indeed. Next up is a one-game contest against Lamar University on Monday, Feb. 24.