It’s been a rough last few weeks for the Oakland women’s softball team. After a strong 4-2 start to the season, the team went 2-16 in their next 19 games, with losing streaks of five, four and seven. With their backs against the wall, the Golden Grizzlies responded, securing a series victory against Green Bay two games to one and sweeping a doubleheader against Cleary University on April 3.
The most significant turnaround has been an increase in runs scored. In their last four games, OU has scored 30 runs, more than any other four-game stretch so far this season. This offensive surge showed against Cleary in their first game of the day at 2 p.m. at Oakland, as they outscored the Cougars 9-1. Let’s jump in and break down the games.
Game 1: Oakland 9, Cleary 1
Oakland didn’t take long to jump out to an early lead. In the first inning, Alexa Kownacki got things rolling with a single. Teammate Storm Kentros joined her with a walk, putting two Golden Grizzlies on with just one out. After a fly-out, Brooklyn Wyczalek brought the two runners home with a clutch double to center field, giving OU a commanding 2-0 lead.
On the defensive side of the ball, Golden Grizzlies pitcher Maraina Smith was dealing. She struck out three batters across her first two innings and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. It was just the kind of performance that the struggling pitcher needed; Smith hadn’t gone a full three innings once this season until this start. As she vacillates between a starting role and a relief role, perhaps the coaching staff will favor her more as a starter after this game’s performance.
In the third inning, Oakland would tack on some more damage. After a Kentros ground out and a Kamryn Troyer line out to start the frame, six consecutive batters would reach base. It was all small ball, too; besides one reach-on-error, each hit was a single. But small-ball worked, driving in four runs to balloon the lead to 6-0 OU.
Smith’s only fault in the game was giving up an RBI double to Cleary’s Jenna Wagenschutz in the top of the fourth. Besides that, she pitched a pretty flawless day. Smith finished with only one hit, one run, two walks, and five punchouts in her five innings of work.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Golden Grizzlies’ offense got back to work. Kenna Bommarito was called on to pinch-hit, and she came in and smoked a double to right-center field. Oakland would finish the inning with four more singles, all in a row. The final score stood at 9-1, ending in a mercy-rule forfeit for Cleary through just five innings.
Claire Loveland, Annabel Power and Wyczalek all had two RBIs for the Golden Grizzlies, with Powers leading the team with three hits. Oakland only had one strikeout on the day, demonstrating their terrific plate discipline and hitting ability.
Game 2: Oakland 6, Cleary 2
The second game of the afternoon was much more of the same. The Golden Grizzlies didn’t wait to continue their offensive onslaught. They got right back at the Cougars, scoring four runs in an active first inning. Loveland kept up her big day with a two-run double to end the inning as eight different Golden Grizzlies reached base. Not too shabby for the start of the game.
It was Mia Konyvka’s turn to take the mound for Oakland. After a clean first inning, Konyvka showcased her ability to coax ground balls, getting three in a row from the Cougars to end the frame. One run was scored off an error by centerfielder Brooklyn Plitz.
Neither team made any noise until the top of the fourth inning. With one Cougar on and two outs, Gabrielle Monreal singled to right field, bringing Cleary closer at 4-2. OU would bring the lead back up to four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Shortstop Madi Herrington led off with a double before Plitz singled to put two Golden Grizzlies on base. Herrington would score on a sacrifice fly from Kownacki, and a Troyer single drove in Plitz to tack on an additional two runs.
The Oakland defense and Konyvka proved to be too much for the Cougars’ offense. The starting pitcher finished with a complete game of seven innings, four hits, only one earned run, and three strikeouts. The Golden Grizzlies would prevail 6-2 and cap off a great 4-0 stretch in their schedule.
Next up is an away series at home against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons from Saturday, April 12, through Sunday, April 13.