Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Otterbein softball team split a pair of games on day one of the Leadoff Classic, defeating Pacific Lutheran, 10-0, in five innings before falling 8-3 to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the night cap.

Tomorrow's slate of games for the Cardinals are scheduled for the morning and early-afternoon, beginning against Pacific before they take on St. Catherine. Game times at Lincoln Park are set for 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.

Game One vs. Pacific Lutheran (Won, 10-0 – 5inn.)

Otterbein took the game's first lead in the second inning behind a two-run single off the bat of freshman Kristen Zink in her first-ever collegiate at-bat, and never looked back en route to the run-rule victory over Pacific Lutheran.

The Cardinals inflated the lead to a comfortable margin of 9-0 two innings later as they scored seven runs on five hits, ignited by a single from junior Alyson Shaw through the middle of the Lutes' infield.

Five other players recorded a run batted-in in the frame, including sophomore Kasey Morris who went 3 for 3 in the game with one of a trio of doubles posted by the Cards.
Senior Maddie Flasco added a run-scoring double down the left field line in the fifth inning to boost the lead to double digits.

In the circle, junior Gabby Johnson, the reigning Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) 'Pitcher of the Year,' was stellar again going four innings with four strikeouts, allowing just three hits in the shutout. Senior Rachael Owens came on in relief of Johnson to toss the last inning and gave up just one hit.

Freshman Katrina Wierzbicki also was solid in her collegiate debut, going 2 for 4 at the plate with a run driven in and one scored.

Game Two vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps took the lead early on Otterbein by plating four runs in the initial frame, planting five base runners on three hits and a pair of walks.

The Cardinals responded with a run in both the bottom half of the first and second innings, both runs driven in by Garner on a single and a walk. Otterbein's runs in those at bats by Garner came from Shaw and senior Savannah Sarkine.

Two innings passed with the score still 4-2 in favor of the Athenas, before CMS added another two runs in the top half of the fifth. A leadoff walk followed by a run-scoring triple put the Athenas up 6-2. CMS then pushed across two additional runs to seal the victory in the first half of the seventh inning.

Morris started the game for the Cards and went four innings, surrendering six runs on five hits, five walks and a pair of errors charged to the defense. Junior Anna Edwards entered in relief for the remaining three innings and allowed two runs on five hits, while also reaching base safely on a CMS error in her lone at-bat.

Shaw led Otterbein in the game with a perfect 3-for-3 outing, which included one run scored and a walk.