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ROCHESTER, Mich. – After a weekend off, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies are back for back-to-back midweek games against Toledo on Tuesday, April 7, and Rochester Christian on Wednesday, April 8. Both games at the OU Baseball Field will start at 3 p.m. on ESPN+ with Neal Ruhl on the call.
Oakland went 1-2 to close out March at Wright State, securing a series finale win for their first win over the Raiders since 2024.
The Golden Grizzlies opened the series with a 12–4 loss despite jumping out early with a run in the first and three more in the third inning to briefly tie the game. Wright State responded quickly and consistently at the plate, collecting 14 hits and scoring in all but two innings to regain control. Ben Clark led Oakland with two hits and two runs scored, while Kyle Revere and Aidan Schuck each contributed offensively as the Golden Grizzlies generated early momentum but were unable to keep pace with the Raiders’ steady scoring output.
In Saturday’s matchup, Wright State built a decisive early advantage with a seven-run first inning and added two more in the second to take control en route to an 11–5 win. Oakland responded with runs in the third and a two-run fourth inning and later added two more in the ninth during a late push, highlighted by contributions from Lucas Day, Kyle Revere, and Sam Griffith. However, the early deficit proved too much to overcome as the Raiders secured the series victory.
Oakland closed the weekend on a strong note with a 10–7 extra-inning victory in the series finale, using a three-run surge in the 10th inning to secure the win. The Golden Grizzlies totaled 13 hits and seven walks, with Tony Konopiots driving in three runs on three hits and Clark adding two RBIs and two doubles. Revere also homered and scored twice as Oakland answered Wright State’s seventh-inning rally and finished the series with a decisive late offensive push.
The Golden Grizzlies are third in the Horizon League with a team batting average of .248, as fifth-year Kyle Revere leads OU with a .330 average and four home runs in 103 plate appearances. From the mound, freshman Ben Green leads the Oakland bullpen with a 3.91 ERA in four starts, drawing up 16 strikeouts and a win.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Toledo opened the 2026 season with an even 15-15 record and posted an 11-4 record in the MAC, only dropping one conference series to Central Michigan. Several key hitters and pitchers have driven the 2026 season so far for the Rockets, led by a balanced lineup producing a .301 team batting average early in the year. Outfielder Cade Baker has been one of the Rockets’ most consistent bats, hitting .362 with 46 hits and 33 runs, while Troy Sudbrook has been a major extra-base threat, batting roughly .361 with 16 doubles, six home runs, and 43 RBIs. From the mound, right-hander Nathan Leininger has been a standout starter with a 6–0 record and a 2.23 ERA.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
The Warriors are posting an 11-18 (4-9 WHAC) record so far in 2026, picking up a series win over UM-Dearborn to close out March. Senior Aiden Alspaugh is leading RCU in the box with a .337 average and 31 hits on offense. In the bullpen, Tryce Davis owns a 4.76 ERA, while Dakota Shafer has picked up 13 strikeouts from the bump this season. Oakland leads the overall series in Rochester with the Warriors, 21-7, last picking up the win in a 20-4 slugfest in 2024.
How to Follow Oakland Baseball: For complete information on Oakland Baseball, follow the team on X at @OaklandBSB and head coach Brian Nelson at @CoachNelly11. The team is also on Instagram.
