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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein baseball team swept through a three-game series with Marian University (Wisc.) over the weekend in the home opener at Fishbaugh Field, earning two victories on Saturday and then another on Sunday.

The Cardinals, improving to 12-3 on the season, will next host Adrian College (Mich.) on Wednesday before Ohio Northern University comes to town Friday afternoon to begin Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play.
 
Game 1 (14-0 win)

Otterbein jumped all over Marian (6-7) to begin Saturday's action, getting a three-run homer from shortstop Ben Beachy as part of a five-run second inning. The Cards had back-to-back solo home runs from Jake Simmerman and Christian Chiero en route to four runs in the third frame, and then scored three more times in the next at-bat to seize a commanding 12-0 lead.

That margin would be insurmountable against Otterbein junior Robert Kemer, who struck out 11 Marian batters, walked just one and surrendered three hits in his complete-game shutout. He is now 2-0 on the season.

Chiero and catcher Stephan Hernon both recorded three hits in the game as the Cardinal offense combined for 16 as a group.
 
Game 2 (12-2 win)

Otterbein sophomore Craig Prince found himself in his third-straight pitcher's duel in Saturday's rematch, with the teams combining for just three hits and no runs by the middle of the fifth inning.

The Cards cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth, receiving an RBI-double from Simmerman followed by a 2-RBI single from Chiero to take a 3-0 advantage.

Otterbein held a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the eighth before blowing the game open, batting around and plating eight runs to put the game away.

Prince improved to 2-0 on the bump while Marian's Damon Bartos absorbed the loss despite a decent pitching effort for his squad. Chiero, Hernon and second baseman Taylor Hutchison all recorded three hits in the contest.

Game 3 (11-7 win)

The Sabres jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the second inning, but Otterbein countered right back behind a two-run homer from right fielder Peyton Ross during the ensuing at-bat.

The Cards then used another big-inning to create separation for the third-straight game, this time bringing home six runs in the bottom of the third to open an 8-3 gap. Center fielder Tyler Kent began the scoring with an RBI-double after an unusual umpire's interference call on a previous stolen-base sequence, and then added scores via wild pitch, bases-loaded walk, infield single and 2-RBI hit from Ross.

The Sabres stayed close with three runs in the middle innings, using a 2-RBI double and then solo home run to trail just 8-5 by the middle of the seventh. Otterbein would fortunately add a few insurance runs down the stretch and get three scoreless and hitless innings of relief from senior Adam Collier to secure the sweep.

Collier was credited with his first win of the spring on the mound while Ross and outfielder Brock Frentzel both tallied multi-hit days. Beachy ripped off a double to left-center in the eighth inning on Sunday that kept his hitting streak alive at 15 games.