Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

ADA, OHIO – The Otterbein University softball team splits a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at league-leader Ohio Northern University, winning 7-1 before falling 8-4.

The split keeps the Cardinals (21-13, 6-8 OAC) alive in the race for the four-team postseason tournament, while the Polar Bears move to 19-9 on the season and 9-3 against league foes.

Click here to view the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.

Ahead just 1-0 entering the final inning, Otterbein strung together six runs in the top of the seventh to blow the game open and eventually win 7-1.

Freshman Laura Basford went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored in the win, while Erin Carpenter went 2-for-4 at the dish and brought hom two runs.

ONU jumped out 4-0 lead in game two, but the Cards used an RBI-single from Erin Carpenter and a two-run homer from Brooke Albright en route to drawing even at 4-4 in the fifth inning.

Otterbein had the go-ahead run on third with two outs in the sixth inning, but the Polar Bears would escape with no damge done and eventually post four runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Cards managed to get the leadoff runner aboard in its final at-bat, but would get no further en route to the defeat.

Albright led the team with the two RBIs in game two and finished with three total on the day. Basford, Casey Clarridge, and Megan Studebaker all hit 2-for-3 in the second contest.

Otterbein returns home to host a doubleheader with Baldwin-Wallace College Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., and wraps up its regular season schedule with a twinbill vs. Marietta College Saturday at 1 p.m. The team will need to win all four games in order to earn a spot in the league tournament.

Studebaker and fellow classmate Kirsti King will be honored prior to first pitch on Saturday as part of senior day.