Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WILMINGTON, Ohio – Road games in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) are rarely easy, and that proved accurate once again Tuesday afternoon as the Otterbein baseball team was forced to come from behind to post a doubleheader sweep against host Wilmington College.

The Cardinals (16-8, 5-3 OAC) held an early 3-0 lead in the opening game, but Wilmington found a big rally with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to open a five-run gap. The Quakers benefited from a Cardinal error in the field that eventually caused just two of the runs to be earned.

Otterbein didn't waver and responded immediately, plating four runs in its next at-bat that was highlighted by a two-run homer from Connor Brett and RBI-singles from Mitch Stotler and Ben Beachy. It was Brett's second round-tripper of the game following a solo shot during his plate appearance one inning prior.

The Cards jumped ahead for good in the seventh inning, using a 2-RBI triple from Stotler for a 9-8 lead and then adding a couple insurance runs down the stretch. Senior Eric Norton earned the pitching victory by tossing 2.1 scoreless frames while five Otterbein players tallied multi-hit games.

Otterbein appeared to be in control with a 7-4 lead midway through the fifth inning of game two, building the margin after two runs in the first, a solo blast from Bryan Stopar in the third and then a big four-run fourth. First baseman Luke Barber had a 2-RBI single in that spurt to open a three-run advantage.

Wilmington (8-18, 0-8 OAC) countered admirably and never went away, tying the contest with three runs in the fifth and then leaping ahead, 9-8, after a pair of runs in the eighth frame.

Otterbein had three outs to avoid a split and came through in a timely manner, beginning with Tyler Thompson drawing a leadoff walk before Barber ripped a single to left field. Stopar followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position, setting the stage for Brett to chop a single through the left side of the infield and score both teammates. He finished with six combined RBI on the day.

Reliever Collin Hoffman finished things shortly thereafter, throwing a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth and improving to 3-0 on the mound as the pitcher of record. He had previously entered in the bottom of the eighth and induced a groundout with a pair of runners in base.

Otterbein ripped off 26 hits throughout the two games and also left 17 runners stranded on base. Barber went 3 for 5 in the rematch as he, Stopar and shortstop Ben Beachy all had multi-hit efforts.

Otterbein will have three more road games to culminate the week, heading to minor league Whitaker Bank Ballpark on Thursday night for a meeting with Transylvania before a weekend twinbill against cross-town Capital.