Oakland Captures Series Finale, 7-1

Sunday, May 16

Rochester, Mich.

12:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

15-36, 11-13

Oakland

18-32, 9-14

IPFW

Oakland

5/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 16, 2010

Box Score

Rochester, MI - Oakland broke open a close game with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon to take the series finale with IPFW, 7-1 at the OU Baseball Field.

The loss kept IPFW a half a game back of Southern Utah for the fourth and final playoff spot in the upcoming Summit League Baseball Tournament.  Southern Utah fell to Western Illinois, 12-2 in a 10-run rule game at WIU.

IPFW starter Lucas Kesterson and OU starter Matt LaMothe put zeros on the board until the bottom of the fourth.  Third baseman Tommy Jablonski scored an unearned run as IPFW failed to turn an inning-ending double play.  The error on the twin-killing was one of three Mastodon miscues on the day.

The 'Dons tied the game at one in the 6th inning on a one-out solo home run to left field by junior right fielder Daren Boss.  It was the fifth homer of the season for Boss.

In the seventh, OU centerfielder Tim Ryan drew a bases loaded walk to give the Golden Grizzlies a 2-1 lead.

It all unraveled for the Mastodons in the 8th inning.  D.J. Jarrad, Tom Dunham and Brett Geschke each drove in runs with RBI singles.  The Griz' added two more in the frame on bases loaded walks by Ryan Waldhart and Jablonski.

IPFW got a lead off double by designated hitter Brett Clark, but he would advance no further as reliever Hayden Fox got the next three 'Dons in order.

Kesterson took the loss for the Mastodons (1-9) giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits in 6.2 innings of work. 

Fox came on to toss 3.2 innings for the win (3-0).  He allowed just one hit while striking out six.

With the loss, IPFW falls to 15-36 and 11-13 in Summit League play.  The Mastodons will host first-place Centenary in a season-ending four game series at Mastodon Field.  The Gents and 'Dons will play a doubleheader on Friday afternoon and a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, each beginning at noon.

~Dons~