Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MARIETTA, Ohio – The Otterbein University softball team dropped a pair of Ohio Athletic Conference contests Tuesday afternoon, falling by scores of 8-3 and 6-4 at Marietta College.

The Cardinals, now 9-8 overall and 2-4 within league play, have Wednesday and Thursday off before returning to the diamond with a 3:30 p.m. home doubleheader with Bluffton University on Friday.

Otterbein seized an early advantage over the Pioneers in game one, getting RBI from senior Rachael Puthoff and Maggie McMahan in the first for a 2-0 cushion.

The Cardinals bumped the lead to 3-0 in the next frame, but four Pioneers runs in the bottom of the innings put the hosts ahead. Otterbein was unable to score the remainder of the game, seeing Marietta plate another four runs in the sixth inning to secure the win.

Puthoff went 2 for 3 at the dish in game one while six other Cardinals also tallied a hit. Freshman pitcher Lizzy Snodgrass, who had won her previous six starts in the circle, was dealt her first loss in over two weeks.

The Cardinals once stood on top early in the second matchup, taking a 2-1 lead after the first inning of play. Marietta would settle in from there, scoring twice in the second frame and once more in the third for a 4-2 edge.

Otterbein sliced the deficit in half during the fifth inning, getting an RBI-single up the middle from Puthoff that brought home leadoff hitter Laura Basford.

Marietta widened its lead to 6-3 entering the final inning, but the Cardinals were not ready to go quietly as Puthoff led off Otterbein's final at-bat with a solo home run. It was her first of the season and just the fifth of her career. Unfortunately, the next three Cardinal hitters would be retired in order as the Pioneers held on for the sweep.

Puthoff finished the game 3 for 4 while Basford produced a 2 for 4 day at the dish, bringing her within 11 hits of Otterbein's all-time record.

Senior Maggie McMahan struck out five batters in her five innings of work, surrendering just one earned run in the process.

Otterbein will quickly resume action after Friday's matchup with Bluffton, staying at home to host conference foe Baldwin Wallace University.