Box Score

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein baseball team, ranked No. 20 in the newest national polls, opened its week with a nice 9-1 victory at Oberlin College Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action.

The game was added earlier this week after Tuesday's doubleheader at Maryville College (Tenn.) was cancelled to due projected weather.

 

Otterbein, improving to 15-4 on the season, did almost all of its damage in the middle innings with seven runs across the fourth and fifth frames. First baseman Christian Chiero opened the scoring with a solo homer to centerfield followed by RBI's from outfielder Tim Snyder and second baseman Tyler Thompson.

Otterbein found some more breathing room in the fifth inning, plating four runs in a stretch that included an RBI-single from Chiero and then a 2-RBI single through the left side from third baseman Connor Brett, who also walked twice on the day.

Sophomore Johnny Putnam was sharp on the mound, retiring 10-straight batters to open the game and eventually surrendering just two hits (and no walks) while striking out five. He went six innings and improved to 3-0 this spring.

The Cardinals added a couple late runs as insurance, getting an RBI-single from Snyder in the seventh and then a solo blast from designated hitter Bryan Stopar, his fourth of the season, in the eighth inning. Snyder finished the game a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with a trio of runs driven in.

Oberlin (9-6) threatened a rally in the bottom of the eighth by loading the bases with no outs, but Sam Hardin was able to get himself out of the jam with an ensuing strikeout and then inning-ending double play. Senior Justin Lewis and Caleb Norton, the reigning OAC 'Pitcher of the Week,' also threw innings for a Cardinal pitching staff that entered this week ranked seventh nationally in team E.R.A.

The Tan and Cardinal will return to the diamond Saturday afternoon, hosting Baldwin Wallace University in a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) doubleheader at 1 p.m.