Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Photo Gallery
Post-Game Press Conference

ALMA, Mich. – The Otterbein softball team exited its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in Saturday's second round with a gritty 3-2 win in 11 innings over DePauw, before falling to No. 21-ranked Alma by the same margin in an elimination game late in the evening.

The Cardinals, which set a new program record for most wins in a single season, conclude their 2017 campaign with a 35-8 overall record after notching their second-straight Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season title and first conference tournament championship in program history earlier this month. 

Game One vs. DePauw

Both teams came into the game in a must-win situation after dropping their respective contests in Friday's opening round, as Otterbein fell 3-2 to Illinois Wesleyan after surrendering three runs over the final two frames.

DePauw, who advanced to the regional finals last spring, followed up with a 9-1 run-rule loss to No. 21-ranked Alma in game two. IWU kept its gritty-win streak alive in the tournament with a 4-3 win over Alma in Saturday's initial game, as the Titans move on to Sunday's title game at noon against Alma.

Senior Tory Speakman jump started the Cardinal offense in the early going, smashing her second home run of the regional tournament to the exact same spot as Friday's long ball in dead-center field. DePauw starter Brooke Bandy rebounded the following inning with three-straight outs after junior Savannah Sarkine drew a lead-off walk.

The Cardinals then stringed together back-to-back hits to begin the top half of the fourth, prompting Bandy's exit, before junior Rachael Owens increased the Otterbein lead to 2-0 on a run-scoring double to right center, which plated pinch-runner Chey Rowe. The run was setup by Speakman who pushed Rowe up a base with a nifty sacrifice-bunt prior to Owens' at-bat.

Otterbein had an opportunity to add to its advantage at the beginning of the sixth inning, as junior Megan Garner tallied a lead-off single to left field before Tiger reliever Emma Baldwin struck out two and then tossed out Owens on a come-backer to the circle.

DePauw's marquee moment came in the bottom of the sixth, as Lauren Godden blasted a two-strike pitch off the left-field fence to tie the game at two apiece as the runners reached on walks credited to Johnson. Owens came on in relief of Johnson to record the final out of the inning in the next at-bat.

The Tigers had multiple chances to end the game in both the seventh and eighth innings with runners on third and less than two outs, but Owens put an end to those threats fairly quickly with a stellar array of pitches.  

Senior Molly Riggs, who finished the game just one-hit shy of tying the program's all-time record for hits in a career, gave the Cards back the lead for good in the top of the 11th after plating junior Bailey McElwain who reached base on a lead-off double to right field.

Game Two vs. Alma

The Cardinals carried their momentum over to an elimination game against Alma, who they defeated 3-2 over spring break, pushing a pair of early runs across to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

Riggs posted an infield single to leadoff the game, tying Laura Basford (2011-14) for all-time hits record in program histroy, before coming around to score on a sacrifice bunt from senior Niki Weaver three batters later. Junior Savannah Sarkine added to the Cardinal advantage with a run-scoring single to left center in the next at-bat, which scored Speakman from third base after she reached after being hit by a pitch.

Alma's half of third inning resulted in the Scots tying the game and taking the lead on the same play, as they pushed across their initial run of the contest after working a single and a walk to start the frame before scoring two more runs on a fielder's choice and an error by the Cards.

The score would remain the same for the final four and a half innings, as Otterbein was held to just two hits. One of them came on a one-out double to left center off the bat of junior Maddie Flasco in the Cards' half of the fifth before she was called out later in the frame due to runner's intereference. 

Johnson accounted for the loss after tossing two and two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs, two earned, walking three and striking out no batters for the first time this season. She finishes the year with 143 strikeouts, a season-season record in program history.

Owens accounted for the remaining four and a third inning's in the circle, striking out three Scots' batters while holding them scoreless. Alma starter Morgan Straton went the distance for her 21st win of the season, striking out three.

The game was also the final one played in the career's of Kelly Jackson, Molly Riggs, Chey Rowe, Tory Speakman, Niki Weaver, as well as student assistants Kate Lewis and Abby Rogers. Speakman was also named to the All-Tournament Team following Illinois Wesleyan's 4-1 win over Alma in Sunday's title game.