Written May 4, 2010 by Adam Prescott
WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein suffered a sweep at the hands of conference rival Marietta Monday afternoon at Fishbaugh Field, losing the first game 7-4 and falling 17-9 in game two. The losses dropped the Cards to 1-5 over the last six conference games, and moves them down to sixth-place in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.
The team began the week hosting Baldwin-Wallace on Tuesday afternoon, taking a 6-2 lead after three innings but ultimately allowing 12 runs over the next two innings to fall behind 14-6. The group managed three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough as B-W took game one 15-9. Junior right-hander John LaCorte suffered his first loss of the season in the defeat, falling to 7-1.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh in game two, OC’s bats came alive to post six runs and take an 8-3 advantage. Senior shortstop John Quimby hit a crucial three-run home run, his second round-tripper of the game, as part of the inning.
The Yellow Jackets were only able to get two runs the remainder of the way as the Cardinals would earn the split. Senior right-hander Zach McGrain picked up the victory on the hill for Otterbein, allowing four earned runs over 7.2 innings of work. Senior lefty Kyle Stull closed the game out for his second save of the season.
The Cards then dropped a pair of games in doubleheader action at fourth-ranked Heidelberg Wednesday afternoon, falling 5-3 in game one and 10-1 in game two.
The first game was tied at 2-2 entering the fourth inning, only to have the Student Princes score three runs over the next two frames to open a 5-2 lead. The Cards got one in the top of the seventh, but no more as they suffered the 5-3 loss.
Senior right-fielder Brandon Gessner went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored in the opening contest.
The team then returned home to host rival Marietta in a doubleheader on Monday with conference tournament implications at hand. The contest, which had originally been scheduled for the weekend but was postponed due to rain, opened with the Pioneers getting three runs in the top of the second.
The Cardinals responded, however, getting four in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-3 edge.
Marietta scored in the next inning to tie the game at 4-4, and would get three runs in the later stages of the game to take a 7-4 margin into the seventh. The first two Cardinal batters walked to start the inning, but the momentum eventually fizzled as Marietta took game one 7-4.
The Pioneers jumped on top early in game two, taking a 6-1 lead after two innings and extending the advantage to 14-3 by the sixth. The Tan and Cardinal continued to fight and did manage to get six more runs across the plate, but it wouldn’t be nearly enough as Marietta would take game two 17-9.
Senior Brian Hiscox went 2-for-4 over both games and was walked a staggering six times.
The team closes out the regular season by traveling to Muskingum for a doubleheader this Saturday, with the first game slated for 1 p.m. The team will need to take both games at Muskingum and receive some help to qualify for the four-team OAC Tournament.
