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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – A 6-1 win predicated a 4-3 walk-off win that propelled the Cardinals to a sweep of Heidelberg University Tuesday evening at Rike Field.
Otterbein University improves to 17-13 overall, 5-9 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Meanwhile, the losses drop the Student Princes to 1-15 in league play, 11-21 overall.
In the second game of the twinbill, Heidelberg scored two in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, but would be shut down for the rest of the game.
Otterbein battled back with a run in the fifth on a ground out by sophomore Maggie Zych, and an RBI-single by junior Rachel Puthoff in the sixth to knot the game at 3-3.
The Cardinals nearly ended the game in the eighth, but were robbed of a walk-off base hit. With runners on first and third, and two out, junior Calli Studebaker hit a line drive to left that was caught on a dive by the left fielder, sending the game into the ninth.
After Heidelberg stranded a runner in the top half, Otterbein took advantage of a few mistakes by the Student Princes to win the game.
Junior Kristen Ramer reached base on a misplay by the second baseman; advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher; advanced to third on a passed ball; and finally, scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the game.
Junior Maggie McMahan (3-2) earned the win in relief for the Cards. She pitched the final 2.2 innings and limited the Student Princes to just one hit, while striking out five.
The Cardinals used a pair of late three-run innings to dispatch of Heidelberg in game one, 6-1.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when Otterbein plated three runs on only two hits. Ramer slapped an RBI-single to put the Cards on top 1-0, but Otterbein scored its next two runs on the base paths, taking advantage of a few misplays by Heidelberg.
The Cardinals broke the game open in the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases up with one out. Studebaker smacked a single into right center field that cleared the bases and put Otterbein on top 6-0.
Heidelberg avoided the shutout with a run in the seventh, but left runners at second and third to end the game.
McMahan was the winner in game one as well, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out a pair.
Prior to the game Otterbein honored its three seniors, Natalie Zwicker, Brooke Albright, and Erin Carpenter for their contributions to the program over their college careers.
The Cardinals have concluded their 2013 home schedule, but have a pair of doubleheaders on the road to close out the regular-season. Otterbein will travel to Transylvania University Thursday, April 25, for a pair of non-conference games. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
