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ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland Golden Grizzlies return to the OU Grizz Dome on Friday as they host the Cleary Cougars in a non-conference doubleheader on Friday.<\/p>\n
Oakland has been dominant on its home field this season, opening the year with a perfect 6-0 record inside the OU Grizz Dome. During that stretch, the Golden Grizzlies have outscored opponents 36-10 and will look to keep that momentum rolling as they aim to improve to 8-0 at home.<\/p>\n
Pitching has been a major strength for Oakland early in the year. The Golden Grizzlies currently hold the best team ERA in the Horizon League at 3.41, showcasing a deep and reliable pitching staff that has consistently limited opposing offenses.<\/p>\n
Offensively, Oakland has been one of the most balanced lineups in the conference. Five Golden Grizzlies: Kam Troyer, Addison Caldwell<\/a>, Alyssa Balcom<\/a>, Maggie Murphy<\/a>, and Storm Kentros<\/a>, all rank among the top 15 in the Horizon League in batting average, giving Oakland production throughout the lineup.<\/p>\n Defensively, the Golden Grizzlies have also been sharp in the field, posting the second-best fielding percentage in the Horizon League at .974. The combination of steady defense and strong pitching has helped Oakland control games and limit extra opportunities for opponents.<\/p>\n Cleary enters the matchup with a 4-9 record, having lost to Clarke (IA) 4-3 in nine innings on Mar. 6.<\/p>\n The Cougars were\u00a0 picked to finish near the top half of the Wolverine\u2013Hoosier Athletic Conference in the 2026 preseason poll. The Cougars finished last season with an 18-26 overall record and a 13-11 mark in conference play, earning the sixth seed in the WHAC Tournament.<\/p>\n Offensively, the Cougars are led by freshman outfielder Brroke Williams, who has been one of Cleary’s most consistent run producers this season with a team-high .407 batting average. In the circle, Kami Linton has emerged as one of the team’s top pitching options with a pair of wins so far this season.<\/p>\n Oakland and Cleary met last season in Rochester, where the Golden Grizzlies swept a doubleheader and outscored the Cougars 15-3. The Golden Grizzlies will look to carry that momentum into Friday’s contest as they continue their strong start at home, with Friday’s matches starting at 12:30 p.m.
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