Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Otterbein softball team posted a sweep of Muskingum on Friday in its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opener, winning 3-0 in game one before junior Bailey McElwain hit a walk-off grand slam capture game two 8-7.

Otterbein (16-3 overall) moves to 2-0 in OAC play and has now won five-straight games and eight of its last nine games. The Cardinals wrap-up their two-game homestand next Wednesday against Denison with a first pitch of game one slated for 3:30 p.m.

Game One

The Cardinals benefited once again from a strong outing in the circle from junior starting pitcher Rachael Owens, as she improved to 7-2 on the season with a complete-game shutout, her first of the year.

Owens went seven strong innings and allowed just four hits, walking no Muskie hitters, while recording a trio of strikeouts. The Cards conversely got a hit in every frame but the sixth, with most of their production coming in the first two innings.

McElwain and fellow junior Megan Garner tallied consecutive doubles for Otterbein in the bottom half of the first frame, leading to the first run of the game, before the Cardinals placed three base runners the following inning and pushed across two more runs.

Owens stymied the Muskingum offense from that point forward allowing just three hits over the final five innings of play. Garner finished with a game-high two hits while six other Cardinal batters came up with one.

Game Two

Muskingum jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first two and a half innings of action, scoring one run in the second on a solo home run before notching three runs in the third on four hits as five base runner reached safely against two Cardinal pitchers. 

Sophomore Gabby Johnson started the game for the Cardinals but exited after getting just one out in the top half of the third, giving way to sophomore Anna Edwards who went two innings and allowed just one run on three hits.

The Cardinals tied the game in the bottom half of the third inning after compiling three hits with five base runners in the frame, led off with a walk by freshman Kasey Morris who began the game as the designated player and then claimed the win after relieving Edwards in the fifth inning.

Muskingum broke the 4-4 tie on its second home run of the game two batters into the fifth inning and then added to its 6-4 lead with a leadoff homer in the top of the seventh frame, before the Cardinals came to bat to close out the game.

Morris ignited the Cardinal offense with a lead off single up the middle to begin the bottom half of the seventh inning, before senior Tory Speakman reached on a fielders choice and freshman Courtney Hackney singled through the right side of the Muskie infield.

Junior Maddie Flasco drew a two-out walk to advance pinch-runners Chey Rowe and Savannah Sarkine, setting the table for McElwain. McElwain fought off multiple pitches in the at bat, leading to a full count, before blasting a walk-off grand slam off the Clements Rec Center wall in left field.

Morris picked up the win in relief and improved to 2-1 overall after going two and two thirds innings in the circle, allowing two runs and walking one Muskie batter. Flasco led the team with two hits, while senior Molly Riggs posted two runs batted in.

See video below of Bailey McElwain's walk-off grand slam: