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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein softball team tallied yet another doubleheader split in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Saturday afternoon, shutting out Muskingum University, 4-0, in the opening game before a 5-1 loss to finish the day.

The Cardinals (13-17, 9-7 OAC) remained locked in a three-way tie with the Muskies (20-16, 9-7 OAC) and John Carroll University for the fourth and final spot in the upcoming OAC Tournament.  Otterbein will finish out its conference schedule next Saturday at league-leading Heidelberg University. Click here to view the most up-to-date conference standings.

Otterbein took an early lead on a fielder's-choice RBI from Megan Garner, and the score remained the same over the next five innings as the contest settled into a pitcher's duel.

The Cards eventually plated a trio of insurance runs in the sixth, which would be more than enough for ace pitcher Rachael Owens, who won her tenth game of the year with the complete-game shutout. Sophomore centerfielder Molly Riggs went 2 for 3 with a run scored in the lead-off spot.

Muskingum jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second matchup, but the Cardinals cut that deficit in half on an RBI-single up the middle from Tayler Sbrocco. The Muskies pushed the lead 3-1 with a homer in the next at-bat, and doubled the cushion to 5-1 in the sixth inning on a two-run shot from Jaclynn Hess.

Freshman catcher Bailey McElwain went 2 for 3 at the plate in game two, which saw the Cardinals use four different pitchers.

Otterbein will prep for the regular-season finale at Heidelberg with a non-conference twinbill during the week, traveling to Wittenberg University Thursday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. start.