Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Otterbein University softball team was forced to settle for a doubleheader split on the road Thursday afternoon, winning 7-2 before suffering a last-inning loss, 5-4, at Wittenberg University.

The Cardinals, 14-18 on the year, will now gear up for a regular-season finale doubleheader at league-leading Heidelberg University this weekend. A spot in the four-team Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament will be on the line.

Otterbein built an early 4-0 lead in game one and stayed the course behind the right arm of pitcher Rachael Owens, who earned her 11th win of the season with the complete-game victory. She allowed just four hits, two runs and one walk throughout.

Sophomore Molly Riggs went a perfect 5 for 5 in the lead-off spot, upping her season batting average back over the .400 mark. Four other players registered multi-hit games as the Otterbein offense posted 17 hits.

The Cardinals jumped ahead again in the second matchup by plating two runs in the first inning, which included Riggs coming home on a double steal. Otterbein held a 4-2 lead after an RBI-double from Megan Garner in the sixth, but Wittenberg (17-15) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half.

The Tigers ultimately forced a split on the day, scoring twice in their final at-bat on a single up the middle and sacrifice fly.

Freshman catcher Bailey McElwain went 2 for 3 offensively for the Cards to conclude the day.