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Spring Trip Photo Gallery

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Cardinal softball team finished off its spring trip on Thursday afternoon with a 6-4 record between the highly-touted Leadoff Classic and the Tucson Invitational Games, both played in the Cactus State at Lincoln Park.

Next up on the schedule for Otterbein is a matchup at Bluffton on Mar. 14 in a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Game Seven vs. Fontbonne (Mo.): Won, 3-2 (8inn.)

Junior Gabby Johnson posted perhaps her best outing of the young season against Fontbonne, going the distance in the circle after holding a perfect game through five and a third innings. Johnson finished the game allowing just two runs, both unearned, on three hits while tying a career-best 12 strikeouts.

Just as important of a highlight for the Cardinals came from senior Savannah Sarkine who blasted a pair of solo home runs after entering the game with none recorded in her collegiate career.

The first came in the bottom half of the third inning as Sarkine launched the ball over the right center field fence to give Otterbein an early 1-0 lead. Neither team scored again until the seventh inning, as the Griffins pushed across two runs to take their first lead of the contest.

With the Cards trailing 2-1 heading into the last half of the seventh frame, Sarkine stepped up to the plate with one out and powered the ball down the right field line and over the fence to tie the score.

Fontbonne threatened to score in the top half of the third inning, moving its runner placed on second to begin the frame to third base on a wild pitch but Johnson stranded the runner with a strikeout followed by a pickoff credited to senior Bailey McElwain behind the plate.

McElwain then carried her solid play into the last half inning and recorded a walk-off single that drove in junior Alyson Shaw, who started the inning on second base before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from senior Maddie Flasco.

Game Eight vs. Thomas More: Won, 9-6

The Cards plated four runs through the first five innings of action and conversely held the Saints to just one of their own, as senior Rachael Owens ignited the scoring effort with run-scoring single to right center field in the first inning.

It was Sarkine who again provided the power for Otterbein, blasting two more home runs in this contest alone, making it four in two games. The first came on a shot to right center in the fourth inning, before she extended the team's lead to 8-6 in the top of the seventh.

Thomas More did briefly take the lead in the fifth inning, stringing together five runs on four hits which included a two-out grand slam to put the Saints ahead 6-4.

Otterbein responded though in the bottom half of the frame with three runs of its own to retake the lead at 7-6, roping together four-straight one-out hits.

Owens lasted four innings as the team's starting pitcher, allowing just two runs while fanning four batters before giving way to Johnson who tossed just two-thirds of an inning.

Junior Anna Edwards entered the game with the Cards trailing, but then went on to throw two and a third innings of one-hit ball, while shutting down the Saint offense for the remainder of the afternoon. As a result, Edwards was credited with her second win of the season.

Owens enjoyed her best outing of the year so far at the plate with three runs batted-in and a pair of hits, while Flasco matched her runs driven in output.

Game Nine vs. Husson: Won, 12-0 (5inn.)

The story of the game was the Cardinal offense totaling 12 runs on 15 hits, beginning the game with five runs through the first two innings to jump out to a solid advantage.

Flasco and Garner were the stars of the first frame for Otterbein as the duo posted a pair of doubles to left field, as Shaw scored on the first one before McElwain and Flasco crossed home plate to make it 3-0.

After Shaw and Zink reached base safely the following inning, Flasco again stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run double down the left field line to boost the lead.

The Cards would eventually tack on seven more runs, including two in the fifth spearheaded by a walk from Sarkine and back-to-back singles from freshman Kristen Zink and Shaw.

Otterbein's half of the fifth frame proved to be the largest scoring output of the game, as it sent up nine batters and pushed across five runs on six hits including pinch-hit singles from sophomores Alyson McAdams and Kayla Queer, as well as freshmen Hannah Dobrinick and Maria Herron.

Johnson cruised to her third win in the circle behind four shut-out innings in which she allowed just two hits and fanned six Eagle batters. Edwards came on for the final three outs and struck out one batter to seal the run-rule victory.

Game 10 vs. CUNY-Staten Island: Won, 2-0

Owens, the Cards' starting pitcher in their final game of the trip, tossed perhaps her best outing of the young season in a complete-game shutout of Staten Island. Owens allowed six hits, two of which came on infield singles, and walked two Dolphin batters while striking out four in her first win of the year.

Staten Island pitcher Nicolette Trapani was equally as impressive for the visiting team, surrendering just one-of-two runs on the game through the first five innings on a run-scoring single in the third inning off the bat of McElwain.

Garner helped the Cards add to their lead in the last half of the sixth inning with a leadoff double, before pinch-runner Erin Vonderwell came around to score on a double from Owens to make the score 2-0.

The Dolphins led off the bottom of the frame with an infield single, before the Cards got out of dodge with a line-out double play to Owens before a groundout Sarkine at third base ended the game.

Otterbein will head home on Thursday with Sarkine leading the team in batting average (.450), as she is now 9-for-20 at the plate with four home runs, seven runs batted-in and 13 runs scored.

The Cards currently have four players hitting .400 or above, while the pitching staff has recorded 55 strikeouts in 10 outings.