Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Otterbein University baseball team finished its annual spring-break trip Sunday morning at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, exiting with a 7-2 record and a lot of promise heading back to Ohio.

Game 7 vs. SUNY Old Westbury (13-6 Win)

The Cardinals returned to the diamond for a pair of games after Friday's narrow loss to Mitchell College, beginning with an extremely emotional rematch with the Panthers just 72 hours after posting a 3-1 victory.

Much of the animation came from boisterous Westbury pitcher Jeremy Charles, who got an early run of support before allowing the Cardinals to bat around in the bottom of the first inning. Otterbein plated four runs in the frame and ended up rocking Charles for eight runs through four innings.

A 2-RBI double from Westbury centerfielder Kevin Lao in the fifth brought the score within 8-5, but Otterbein hung tough and ultimately added four insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for good.

The Cards ripped off 15 hits in the game, stole five bases and took advantage of seven errors from Westbury. Senior catcher Mark Walton went a perfect 4 for 4 with three RBI at the plate and also laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt in his fifth at-bat. Three other Cardinals tallied multi-hit games, including second baseman Mitch Stotler adding three RBI to the offensive output.

Senior Terrell Dorsey picked up the win on the mound by going 3.1 innings in the middle of the game, while senior Nick Muse warranted his first-career save by allowing just one hit and no runs over the final 2.2 innings.

 
Game 8 vs. Olivet (12-6 Loss)

Otterbein encountered a quick turnaround in its second game on Saturday, regrouping to take on Olivet College (Mich.) just 30 minutes after finishing the Westbury game. The Cards were forced to improvise a bit earlier than expected, with senior pitcher Ben Hamilton forced to leave in the second inning after an injury.

Freshman John Putnam, making his first college appearance, entered the game and fell victim to a few awkward balls off the Olivet bats. The Comets (1-2) managed to plate six runs in the frame en route to putting the Cardinals in an 11-1 hole midway through the third.

Otterbein attempted to chip away, outscoring Olivet 5-1 from that point on but eventually coming up short. Senior pitcher Adam Collier was impressive despite the team's loss, keeping the Comets scoreless over the final five innings as the Cards tried to make a push.

Shortstop Ben Beachy, leftfielder Sam Severance, third baseman Dom Guzzi and Stotler all registered two hits in the contest and both sides combined for 30.

 
Game 9 vs. Rockford (4-2 Win)

Otterbein culminated its nine-day trip with a nice win Sunday morning against the Regents, controlling the game behind the right arm of senior pitcher Jordon Mally almost the entire way.

Beachy put Otterbein on the scoreboard with an RBI-single in the third that scored Dom Guzzi before junior Brock Frentzel gave the team some breathing room with a pair of home runs in the middle innings. He began by launching a two-out, two-run shot to right field in the fourth, and followed with a solo shot to the same place during the sixth frame.

That margin would be more than enough for Mally, who allowed just three hits and struck out seven over his 7.2 innings on the bump. The only two Rockford runs came courtesy of a Cardinal fielding error on his final batter of the day.

Sophomore Craig Prince tallied a strikeout with two runs on base to end the eighth, and junior closer Caleb Norton came on in the ninth to sit stymie the Regents and earn his first save of the season.

Guzzi gave an admirable performance hitting out of the eighth spot, going a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate and proving to be a weapon one the bases yet again. Frentzel finished 2 for 4 with his three RBI while senior centerfielder Tyler Kent hit safely twice in his four at-bats.

Beachy hit safely in all nine games on the trip, compiling a .390 batting average and tying for the team-lead with 11 RBI. Kent was just as impressive by hitting a blistering .457 at the plate, tying Beachy with 16 hits and driving in 10 runs.

Otterbein is currently scheduled to play a three-game set at Transylvania (Ky.) next weekend before a March 16 game at Ohio Wesleyan.