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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Tan and Cardinal baseball team split of a pair of mid-week games in non-conference action Wednesday and Thursday, slipping past Wittenberg University, 10-9, before a tough 14-5 loss against Ohio Wesleyan University.

Otterbein, now 11-2 on the season, fell behind early against Wittenberg as the Tigers scored four runs in the first inning thanks to a pair of Cardinal errors. The Cards used a solo home run from Tyler Kent in their first at-bat to get on the board, but Wittenberg (3-5) plated two more in the next inning to open a 6-1 advantage.

Otterbein answered right back, watching Brock Frentzel launch a round-tripper over the right-field fence en route to a three-run inning. Starting pitcher Ross Wilson settled in and the Cards drew even in the fourth, scoring on a passed ball before a Sean Kettering sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals took the lead in the sixth on another RBI from Kettering, followed by RBI singles from Kent and Ty Compton, in each of the next two innings, to open an 8-6 cushion. Otterbein took a 9-7 lead into the final frame, but a pesky Tigers squad got a 2-RBI single from designated hitter Aaron Patrick to monetarily stay alive.

Otterbein had the final laugh, using a Wittenberg fielding error and a pair of bunt singles to load the bases for Kettering, who ripped a walk-off single to give the team another exciting finish.

The star of the day was Kent, however, who turned in perhaps the most impressive game of any Otterbein player this season by hitting for the cycle. He reached base all six times on the day, following his first-inning homer with a double in the fourth, triple in the sixth, single in the seventh, and a bunt single in the ninth. He also walked once.

Kettering, Frentzel, Taylor Hutchison and Mark Walton all tallied multi-hit games on the day as well. Freshman left-hander Stevie Yuran, pitching to one batter in the top of the ninth, earned the victory and moved to 3-0 on the season.

Otterbein held a 4-2 lead over Ohio Wesleyan on Thursday, but the Bishops hung tough to post four runs in the third inning. OWU never trailed from that point, scoring two in the fifth before blowing the game open with six runs in the next inning after benefiting from a pair of throwing errors.

The high-powered Cardinal offense couldn't get much going after the second inning, scoring only one run the remainder of the way as Wesleyan improved to 6-4 this spring. Kent was impressive despite the loss, singling three times and walking another two in reaching base during all five plate appearances.

Otterbein will open conference play with a critical doubleheader this weekend, traveling to nationally-ranked Marietta College Saturday afternoon. First pitch is slotted for 1 p.m.