Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal baseball team settled for a doubleheader split in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon, winning one and losing one against visiting Case Western Reserve at Fishbaugh Field.

The Cardinals, now 22-9 overall, jumped ahead early in game one after an RBI-single from Jake Simmerman followed by a sacrifice fly from Peyton Ross. The Spartans (19-11) tied the game in the third on a double from All-American Andrew Gronski, but the Otterbein offense posted six runs over the middle innings to grab an 8-4 lead heading to the top of the eighth.

Case Western struck a late rally, plating three runs in the eighth before reliever Terrell Dorsey struck out a batter to escape from a bases-loaded jam. The Cards couldn't add any insurance runs, but Dorsey sat down the Spartans quickly in the ninth for his first save of the spring.

Sophomore Ross Wilson (3-2) earned the win on the mound, allowing just three earned runs and striking out five batters over his six innings on the bump. Simmerman, the reigning OAC Hitter of the Week, went 2 for 4 with two RBI while Ty Compton, carrying perhaps the hottest bat in the league, came up with three RBI. He and Simmerman currently rank first and second, respectively, in the conference for highest batting average.

Otterbein looked ready for a sweep early in the rematch, getting a 2-RBI single from Simmerman in the third before RBIs from Taylor Hutchison and Sean Kettering in the fourth to seize a 4-0 lead.

Case Western had one difference-making inning in the fifth, getting a two-run homer from Gronski as part of a seven-run inning. Otterbein tallied one run in the sixth on a failed pick-off attempt by the Spartans, but ultimately stranded one runner in the seventh, another in the eighth and two more in the ninth as the visitors held on.

Hutchison, who missed the first game of the day, went a solid 4 for 5 at the dish in game two while Ross finished 2 for 4. The Cardinals left ten runners on base throughout the game.

Otterbein will stay at home to finish out the week, hosting No. 7-ranked Heidelberg University on Saturday at Fishbaugh Field in a crucial conference doubleheader. Compton, Kettering and classmates Nich Pitzer, Chase Thompson, Taylor Ellis and Jordan Ashbrook will be recognized during pregame as part of Senior Day.