FORT MYERS, Fla. – A challenging Florida trip jam-packed with strong opponents culminated in a fourth-straight victory Sunday afternoon, capping the nine-day outing at a solid 6-3 overall record.

Otterbein, now 6-4 overall a quarter of the way through the spring schedule, took on defending conference champions and NCAA regional teams from different states across time in Port Charlotte and Fort Myers.


THE FINAL WEEKEND:

Friday vs U.S. Merchant Marine (Win 3-2)

• A very quick game was tied 2-2 entering the midpoint, and a sac-fly from promising freshman Sam Edgell in the fifth inning ended up being the difference.
   
• Starting pitcher Conor Crotty was relieved in the third inning by freshman lefty Travis Burson, who admirably chucked five scoreless innings of relief for his first college win. He tossed 76 pitches and fanned five.
   
• Junior closer Collin Hoffmann entered with the tying run on board in the ninth, and proceeded to strike out the side for a key win.
• Edgell and Ben Beachy both had two hits in the game, which lasted just a few minutes over two hours.
   

Saturday vs Augustana (Win 9-8)

• The closest and wildest game of the trip saw Otterbein trailing 8-2 late, as the offense had only mustered a few hits and scored early off a 2-RBI single from Tyler Thompson.
   
• "Lucky 7" ended up being the theme when the Cards posted seven runs, on seven hits, in the seventh inning to grab a one-run lead and all of the momentum. All seven hits were singles, as the lineup sent 12 batters to the plate and faced three different Augustana pitchers in the frame.
   
• Hoffmann worked his magic once more, entering with the tying run on base in the eighth and promptly retiring six-straight Vikings. Another freshman lefty earned his first collegiate win on the bump, this time in the form of Zach Beatty after he threw almost four innings of solid relief.
   

Sunday vs Vassar (Win 6-3)

• The lead flip-flopped a few times early, beginning with an unearned Vassar run in the second following an RBI-double to straightaway centerfield. Otterbein then jumped ahead, 2-1, in the fourth via RBI from Justin Hrinko (groundout) and Adam Stotler (two-out single up the middle). Both of those runs were also unearned.
   
• The Brewers regained a 3-2 edge in the fifth, launching a home run and then taking advantage of a throwing error, until another two-out effort by the Cards made it a 3-3 contest in the sixth. Stotler singled up the middle again, and Connor Brett hustled around third to barely slide in under the tag from a strong throw to the plate.
   
• Otterbein used a seventh-inning surge as the difference maker yet again, with four-straight runners reaching base and RBI hits coming from Edgell and third baseman Connor Brett.
   
• The 6-3 lead would be more than enough for Cardinal reliever Andy Caddas, who initially entered with the bases loaded and just one out in the sixth. He struck out the next two batters, and never allowed a hit in cleanly finishing the contest. His only blemish was a lone walk en route to facing just one over the minimum.
   

INSIDE THE TRIP:

• Edgell and Stotler head back to Ohio with seven-game hitting streaks, with five of Edgell's being multi-hit performances. He has split time between right field and the DH spot, and either scored or drove in the go-ahead run in all six wins.
   
• All-Region closer Collin Hoffmann was virtually untouchable all week from the bullpen, striking out 11 batters and not allowing a hit in six-plus innings. He recorded three-straight saves from Thursday to Saturday.
   
• Three-straight pitchers (Burson, Beatty and Caddas) earned their first college wins in successive outings to end the week.
   
• Stotler, who won the starting catcher job in preseason practice, is hitting a team-best .414 and one of four guys atop a balanced team with seven RBI. He punctuated his trip by going 2 for 3 with a sac fly, and has hit safely in all but one game this season.
   
• Freshman Travis Engard has thrown a team-high 16.1 innings this year, almost double the next closest member of the staff. He boasts a 1.65 E.R.A., a team-high 17 strikeouts and just three walks.
   
• Otterbein has stolen 11 of 15 bases as a group, led by seniors Tim Snyder (4 for 5) and Tyler Thompson (3 for 3).
   
• Sports Information Director Adam Prescott won his first Jungle Golf putt-putt title on Friday night, emerging by one shot amongst a stacked leaderboard. He caught fire on the back nine to post a round of 36, outlasting runner-ups Luke Barber, Vince Ruggieri, Ethan Doty and bullpen coach Russ Meade by one shot.

 
UP NEXT:

The Cardinals will catch a late Sunday evening flight out of Fort Myers and return to Westerville, with their home opener scheduled for Tuesday afternoon against Denison at Fishbaugh Field. They will then head to Kentucky for games against Transylvania and UW-Oshkosh next weekend.