Next Game:
at Youngstown State
3/15/2026 | 1 PM ET
Mar. 15 (Sun) / 1 PM ET
at Youngstown State
BUTLER, Penn. — The Oakland Golden Grizzlies Baseball team (2-15, 1-1 HL) secured a 12-6 victory over Youngstown State (2-14, 1-1 HL) on Saturday afternoon at Pullman Park to even the series. Oakland tallied 11 hits, playing long ball to overpower Youngstown State. The Golden Grizzlies notched two home runs and recorded three triples, the most in a single game since 2022. They extended their lead with a four-run sixth inning and a three-run eighth inning as the Penguins managed nine hits and a home run, but were unable to close the gap.
Redshirt-senior Jack Lux delivered a strong performance at the plate with two hits, including a home run and a triple, contributing four runs and three RBIs. Junior Ben Clark added two doubles and three RBIs, while crossing the plate three times as junior Nick Mardis made an impact with a home run and three RBIs, reaching base twice. Redshirt-sophomore Tony Konopiots scored two runs and hit a triple, adding to the team’s offensive efforts.
After Youngstown State plated one in the opening frame, Lux tripled to right-center to start the hits off for Oakland in the second inning. Clark followed with a sacrifice fly, bringing Lux home to tie the game.
In the third inning, Konopiots tripled to right-center and later scored on a caught stealing play. Lux reached first on a Penguin error and scored on Clark’s double to left-center, putting Oakland ahead by one through three innings.
Oakland added two more runs in the fifth inning. Lux walked and scored on Clark’s double down the left field line before Clark himself scored on a single by sophomore Sam Patton, extending the lead.
In the sixth inning, Lux hit a three-run homer to right field, scoring Konopiots and sophomore Aidan Schuck after both reached on errors. Later, Mardis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, earning the RBI and letting Clark cross the plate for a six-run lead.
Youngstown State responded in the seventh inning with a two-run homer by Brady Shannon, cutting the lead to 9-5.
In the eighth frame, redshirt-sophomore Boston Hollaron tacked on an RBI with an RBI-groundout up the middle to score redshirt-junior Sam Griffith. Mardis then hit his first Golden Grizzly home run with a two-run shot to right-center field, scoring Clark. After an RBI double in the bottom half for the home team to draw up another run, both teams remained scoreless in the ninth inning and solidified a 12-6 ballgame.
Senior Tanner Ware pitched 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs, with one of those runs being earned. Throwing 93 pitches, he garnered five strikeouts in his first win of the season. Senior Jaxson Easterlin relieved Ware for 1.1 innings, conceding two earned runs on two hits, while issuing no walks. Redshirt-sophomore Luke Riggs closed the game with two innings of work, giving up an earned run and picking up a strikeout at the plate.
The Golden Grizzlies and the Penguins will play for the series tomorrow at Pullman Park in Butler, Penn. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET.
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.