Detroit vs. Oakland Game 1 Stats (HTML)

Detroit vs. Oakland Game 2 Stats (HTML)

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The University of Detroit Mercy softball team took the field at Buysse Ballpark for the final time in the 2010 season on Tuesday afternoon for a doubleheader against Oakland University and took the opportunity to recognize a trio of exceptional seniors, but the Titans were unable to send them off with a win, falling 6-2 and 5-0 to the Grizzlies.

In between games of the afternoon twin bill, seniors Brigid Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian), Erica Houthoofd (Unionville, MI/Unionville-Sebewaing Area) and Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon) were honored at home plate in a presentation that included head coach Sunny Jones, assistant coaches Ali Hess and Larry Boyles, as well as Assistant Athletics for Business Operations Teri Kromrei and Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities Glenn Knott.

“I'm very proud of how hard these seniors have worked since the day I've gotten on campus,” said Jones, who took over as head coach of the UDM softball program last summer. “They've really embraced everything I've asked them to do. I know it's not the way they wanted their careers here to end, but they've been a big part of where this program is going and are the foundation of our change.”

Game one saw the Titans take the lead in their half of the first inning. Junior second baseman Stefanie Morong (Ludington, MI/Mason County Central) got the offense rolling with a base hit to start the game, and advanced to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt from Renee Zaccagni (Macomb, MI/Dakota). Houthoofd followed with another single to put runners at the corners, and the Titans then pulled off a successful double steal, with Morong leaving third as soon as Oakland (17-32) attempted to throw out Houthoofd heading to second, to take the lead, 1-0.

The lead didn't stand long, however, as OU shortstop Haley Emerson led off the top of the second with a solo home run off sophomore pitcher Kara Spinelli (Newman, CA/Orestimba).

After that, the pitching and defense on both sides stepped up and both offenses were held in check in the third, fourth and fifth innings. But the Grizzlies broke the game open in the top of the sixth, capitalizing on a pair of UDM (3-36) errors to score five runs on only two hits and pull out front, 6-1. An error on a sharp liner to center field allowed the Grizzlies' leadoff hitter to reach in the inning, and an mishandled dribbler toward third base later loaded the bases. Spinelli walked Emerson to bring in a run, and the bases were cleared by a grand slam off the bat of Kylie Schalz.

After taking the lead, Oakland held the Titans in check in the sixth, but the fight was not out of them. Two OU runners were stranded in the top of the seventh and brought the Titans up to the plate for their last at-bat. Freshman right fielder Katie Schaus (Unionville, MI/Unionville-Sebewaing Area) tallied her first career homer to start the Titans off offensively in the seventh, blasting the ball over the fence in dead center field, but UDM could muster-up no more offense.

Detroit outhit Oakland in the opening contest of the day, and Spinelli struck out six and allowed just five hits while taking the loss in the circle.

After the senior day presentation in between games, it was freshman Anna Bondy (Newport, MI/Carleton-Airport) who took the circle for the Titans. A three-run homer in the first by Schalz, her second of the day, gave the Grizzlies the early lead, but Bondy settled in nicely, allowing just two runs and three hits over her next six innings of work, and striking out a career-high six batters.

But the Titan offense was unable to push a run across the plate in game two. Despite notching four hits, including a 2-for-3 outing in the game from Spinelli and a hit each from Liebner and Morong, UDM stranded six runners on base.

Morong led the Titans at the plate, tallying three hits in the doubleheader. Houthoofd and Spinelli posted two apiece, and Schaus, Liebner and sophomore Melissa Barrett (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) each had one.

Detroit will conclude its season on the road this weekend, where the Titans will be in action in Chicago with a three-game series against Loyola. The teams will face off for a single game at 11:00 a.m. Saturday and then the Titans will end their season with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.