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WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Cardinal softball team suffered a 9-0 loss to Denison in game one on Wednesday before rebounding with a 6-2 victory in game two in its second-to-last non-conference matchup of the regular season.

Otterbein (17-4 overall) will turn its focus back to Ohio Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Baldwin Wallace in its first road test of the season in the league. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.

Game One

Denison set the tone from the first inning on after loading the bases twice and capitalizing with a pair of grand slams to take an early 8-0 advantage over the Cardinals. The Big Red tallied six hits in the initial frame leading to starting pitcher Rachael Owens being removed after a third of an inning, as she allowed four earned runs.

Freshman Kasey Morris relieved Owens of her pitching duties and went four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out a pair of Denison hitters. Sophomore Anna Edwards came on to record the final two outs of the game, posting a strikeout in the process.

The Big Red dominated the stat columns led by starting pitcher Sarah Herold tossed all five innings of the run-rule shortened game, surrendering just three hits while striking out five Cardinal batters and walking one. Denison finished the game with a 10-3 edge in hits, while junior Megan Garner led the Cards with a pair of hits.

Game Two

The Cardinal offense woke up right from the get-go in game two, as a leadoff homer to right center off the bat of sophomore Alyson Shaw gave the team an early 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Gabby Johnson allowed just one hit through the first three frames for the Cards, striking out five Denison batters over that span.

Otterbein added to its lead in the bottom half of the third inning after planting four base runners on three hits and an error, while junior Bailey McElwain cashed in on her second grand slam of the season with a towering shot over the right field fence to put the Cards up 5-0.

Denison managed to get a pair of runs back to leadoff the fourth frame after lacing a two-run homer to left center, but to no avail as senior Molly Riggs led off the bottom half of the inning with a single before coming around to score on a throwing error by the Big Red.

Riggs also reached a milestone in the inning after swiping second base, moving into sole possession of second-place among the program's all-time leaders in stolen bases for a career (64). She also led the game with a 3-for-3 mark at the plate as one of five Cardinal batters with a hit.

Johnson improved to a perfect 6-0 on the season in the circle, allowing four hits and tying a season-high nine strikeouts while walking just one batter.