Box Score

GRANVILLE, Ohio – A gritty Cardinal baseball team displayed some perseverance yet again Wednesday evening in non-conference play, coming from behind to eventually win an 8-7 game, in 10 innings, at nearby Denison University.

Otterbein (25-7) grabbed an early 2-0 lead after an RBI-single from Jake Simmerman and sac-fly from Mitch Stotler, but the Big Red eventually kicked into gear with three runs in the fourth and then another three in the fifth inning.

The Cardinals quickly regrouped trailing 6-2, getting an RBI-double from Brock Frentzel in the next at-bat, and then striking twice in the top of the seventh on RBI from Simmerman (fielder's choice groundout) and J.C. Gibson (bases-loaded walk).

Otterbein later faced a 7-5 deficit with just three outs to play with, but found a way to draw even in the ninth on an RBI-single from Stephan Hernon and then a double to left-center from Gibson.

Denison (21-10) got two runners on base, with just one out, in the bottom of the ninth before the Cardinal staff went to closer Caleb Norton, who got out of the jam and sent the game to extra innings.

Otterbein carried the momentum to the tenth, loading the bases before Simmerman came up with a sac-fly to centerfield that scored Stotler from third. Norton recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the frame before Denison kept things interesting, getting runners to second and third before a pop-up would end the game.

Norton improved to 3-1 on the season after earning the win on the mound, which also saw Terrell Dorsey, Adam Collier and Ben Hamilton for the Cards. Hamilton allowed just one earned run over 3.1 innings of relief.

Designated hitter Pat Birrer, playing in the No. 2 hole, went a solid 3 for 5 at the dish while Hernon and Mark Walton also tallied multi-hit games.

Otterbein will have a quick turnaround with another non-conference matchup tomorrow, heading to Wittenberg University for a 6 p.m. rematch with the Tigers. The Cards posted an 8-1 home win earlier this season.