Box Score

ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Otterbein baseball team strutted one step closer to an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament title Friday afternoon, emerging by a score of 3-1 in a hard-fought battle against host and top-seeded Mount Union.

The Cardinals, improving to 30-12 on the season, advance into Saturday's championship game that will take place at noon on 23rd Street Field. The opponent, still to be determined, will have to win twice in what is a double-elimination bracket.

Mount Union grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, watching Joey Keleman steal second and third base before scoring on a single to right field.

"Mount scored that initial run but we were ready to play," head coach George Powell said emphatically. "I told the guys that one run wasn't going to win the game. We took advantage of some opponent mistakes again and were able to manufacture three runs, which was enough for our pitching."

Otterbein countered in the fourth frame on an RBI-single through the left side from catcher Stephan Hernon, who later came around to score after advancing on consecutive wild pitches.

"I had two strikes and was just looking to move the baseball," Hernon explained. "You have to execute at this point of the season and can't afford to blow many chances. I was able to get a bat on something and it worked out well."

Cardinal starter Stevie Yuran worked out of a small jam in the fifth inning, allowing runners on first and second before inducing a double-play groundout to remain unharmed. Third baseman Connor Brett snagged a shot right to him, promptly stepping on his bag and then firing over to first.

The Otterbein defense came up big in the ensuing frame, with shortstop Ben Beachy snagging a line drive and then chucking a throw over to first base for another inning-ending double-up.

Otterbein extended the lead in the top of the seventh via small ball, getting a leadoff single from Brock Frentzel and then eventually parlaying that into a sac-fly from nine-hole hitter Tyler Thompson, scoring his teammate from third.

Freshman Collin Hoffman came on to relieve Yuran in the seventh, tossing two shutout innings before turning the game over to senior closer Caleb Norton. The nation's leader with 31 appearances, Norton allowed an odd bloop-hit to open before striking out three-straight batters for his ninth save this spring.

Otterbein only had four hits in the game, half of those coming off the bat of Hernon who finished 2 for 4 with that key RBI and a run scored.

"You are going to have ups and downs throughout a baseball season," Hernon added. "You will also have ups and downs throughout a game, an inning and even an at-bat. In a tournament setting, it boils down to how you can battle back through any adversity and stay patient. Everything won't always go your way, but we just try to keep coming and coming."

Mount Union hit into four double plays on the day, a pair through the air and another two on the ground as Otterbein's defense committed just one error. Purple Raider lefty Noah Skladan tossed 6.2 solid innings, with just one of his three runs being earned as a result of a few errors behind him.

Yuran racked up his seventh win of the season with another strong showing for the Otterbein pitching staff, striking out five batters and scattering five hits over his six innings on the bump. The Cards will be playing for their first OAC Tournament crown since the program captured three-straight from 2005-07.

"We are confident from a pitching standpoint but understand you can't get too high or too low in baseball," Powell said. "Everyone else has their backs against the wall now and will put their best effort forward to try and come get us. We will be ready to play loose, remain aggressive and let it all hang out tomorrow."