Box Score

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Otterbein baseball team kicked off its 2016 season in exciting fashion Friday evening, taking down Division I Chicago State University by a score of 5-3 on the first day of its annual spring-break trip.

The Cardinals will now enjoy two days off before getting back on the diamond Monday morning, squaring off against North Central University (Minn.) in doubleheader action and noon and 3 p.m.

Chicago State, playing its second game of the day after a 4-3 victory over Villanova to begin Friday's action, jumped out to an early lead on an RBI double in the second inning.

The Otterbein bats took one round through the lineup to settle in, striking out in the first eight at-bats before second baseman Mitch Stotler, hitting ninth, singled through the right side to spark a two-out scoring effort in the third. He later scored on a wild-pitch sequence to tie the game at 1-1.

The Cougars (2-3) opened a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the third thanks to help from a Cardinal fielding error, but Otterbein eventually countered with three runs in the fifth frame to jump ahead for good. The scoring sequence once again happened with two outs, featuring RBI hits from shortstop Ben Beachy, leftfielder Brock Frentzel and centerfielder Tyler Kent on consecutive plate appearances.

Otterbein starting pitcher Ben Hamilton exited after five innings and turned the game over to sophomore lefty Stevie Yuran, who was nothing short of brilliant the remainder of the way by holding the Cougars both scoreless and hitless. Yuran struck out three batters and got out of a jam in the ninth by picking off a baserunner at first for the final out, warranting a four-inning save.

Yuran's efforts translated into a victory for Hamilton, a senior who has won his last 10 decisions dating back to the 2014 season. All three of the runs scored against him Friday were unearned.

The win marks the first over a Division I opponent for Otterbein since 2011, when it walked away from The University of Cincinnati with a 6-4 triumph in the final week of the season.

Beachy was impressive in his collegiate debut, going 2 for 5 with a single and double at the plate and also making a handful of smooth plays out in the field. Senior catcher Mark Walton drew two walks and found a way to come around and score both times on base.

Chicago State registered just four hits on the evening and both teams left five runners on base. CSU starter Justin Wyant took the loss on the mound despite striking out 13.