2003 NCAA Softball Regional 7 -- Game 6 story
5/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2003 NCAA Softball
Championship Regional 7
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, May 16 -- 10 a.m. -- Game 6
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Softball Championship Regional 7 (Game 6)
Result: Oakland 4, Western Michigan 3
Records: Oakland (34-25-1), Western Michigan (30-24)
Next Oakland Game: Friday, May 16 -- vs. DePaul/Notre Dame loser, 8 p.m.
Next Western Michigan Game: WMU eliminated with 0-2 regional record
Steffens' Two-Run Hit Lifts Oakland Over Western Michigan
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7 seed Oakland University Golden Grizzlies defeated the No. 6 seed Western Michigan University Broncos 4-3 today (Friday, May 16) in the NCAA Regional at the University of Michigan's Alumni Field. The Golden Grizzlies came back from a 3-2 deficit with two runs in the sixth inning to earn the victory. Erika Burns led Oakland with two hits, two runs scored and one RBI.
Oakland jumped out to a 2-0 lead after three innings. The Golden Grizzlies scored once in the first inning on a home run by Burns and once in the third inning as Nina Cantazarro led off with a walk and then eventually scored on a groundout.
In the fourth inning, Western Michigan cut the lead to one run. Angie Fiero led off the inning with a single up the middle and was driven home by a Marie McCarthy double. The Broncos took control of the game in the fifth inning when Erin Malloch tripled to rightfield, knocking in two more runs for Western Michigan and putting WMU up 3-2 after five innings.
Oakland regained the lead in the sixth inning with two more runs to make the score 4-3. With runners on the corners and two outs, Lauren Seffens hit a single to left-center that scored Jennifer Granger and Burns. Western Michigan produced only one hit in the bottom of the inning, leaving the score 4-3 heading into the seventh.
With the score still 4-3 Western Michigan came up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Malloch singled and Fiero walked to put runners on first and second. However, Oakland was able to strike out the final batter to preserve the win.
Oakland (34-25-1) advances to play the loser of the DePaul vs. Notre Dame game at 8 p.m. tonight. Western Michigan (30-24) is eliminated.
Q U O T E S
Oakland Head Coach Mike Tomlinson
On the game ... "We had played Western Michigan a couple of times throughout the year. We played them once down in Florida and twice at our place, and to beat them three out of four times feels pretty good. Our pitchers threw well again. I was a little afraid we made a pitching change a little late. For once a pitching change, and the timing, actually worked right, and that doesn't happen very often."
On Lauren Seffens' hit ... "She's one of our team leaders and a captain. She knew what the situation was, and she knew she had to put the ball in play and hit it hard."
On tonight's game ... "I think we're going to come back with confidence. We've played both of them (DePaul and Notre Dame), and they're both excellent programs. Our mentality is to try to take a few extra innings, and our pitching is going to be a key for us. That, and some key hits for us. Hopefully defensively we'll settle down like we did today and we'll play the game that way."
Western Michigan Head Coach Kathy Leitke
On the game ... "I really just don't feel we played our game today, and it seems like we've done that with Oakland and for whatever reason our minds have not been as strong and aggressive against them as many of our other opponents this year."
On allowing a home run to open the game ... "Obviously that's not how you want to start a ballgame out and yet we've given up runs and come back from that, so by no means was that the game."
N O T E S
For the second straight season, Oakland triumphed after losing its initial NCAA Tournament contest. Last season during OU's first NCAA appearance, the Grizzlies fell to Washington before eliminating Canisius.
Oakland has won 27 of its last 35 games and is 10-11 in games decided by a single run this season.
Oakland posted a 3-1 record against WMU during the 2003 campaign, including a 2-1 mark during the regular season.
Western Michigan has been outscored 42-12 in the first inning this season, while Oakland has outscored its opponents by a 51-15 margin in the opening frame.
