LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Cardinal baseball team got back into action after returning from its spring break trip, heading back out of state for a pair of contests at Transylvania University. Otterbein split the two outings, defeating the host Pioneers before falling to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and now stands 7-5 on the young season.
 
Friday vs. Transylvania (Win 6-3)

• Transylvania held a 3-1 lead before Otterbein countered in the fourth, drawing even after a sacrifice fly from Sam Edgell and RBI-single from Connor Brett.
   
• That 3-3 deadlock remained the same entering the eighth inning, where Brett delivered another timely RBI-single to help the Cards pulled ahead for good. Otterbein added two insurance runs in the ninth on a sac-fly from Ben Beachy and single to left field via Luke Barber.
   
• Senior Johnny Putnam gave a second-straight quality start on the mound, allowing just the three runs in seven innings while striking out four. Collin Hoffmann, the reigning OAC Pitcher of the Week, came on right after Otterbein took the lead in the eighth and chucked a pair of clean frames. He now has four saves this spring.
   
• Otterbein got strong production from the middle of its lineup as Beachy, Barber, Edgell and Brett (3-6) all had multi-hit outings.

 
Saturday vs. UW-Oshkosh (Loss 7-4)

• Another relatively low-scoring contest saw a 2-2 battle midway through, with Otterbein doing its damage on a solo homer from Barber in the second followed by an RBI-groundout from Tim Snyder in the fourth inning.
   
• The Cards had two runners in scoring position with no outs in the sixth, but ultimately ended up leaving the bases loaded in not being able to crack through. Oshkosh jumped ahead for good in the bottom of the frame, taking a 4-2 advantage following a triple and sac fly.
   
• Otterbein got one back in the seventh after Edgell laced a two-out double, but the Cards then left a runner stranded on third. Both sides traded runs in their next at-bats as the Titans clung to a 5-4 lead midway through the eighth.
   
• Oshkosh tacked on a pair of key insurance runs in the bottom half during a sequence that began with four-straight bunt attempts. The first two were singles, followed by a Cardinal throwing error and then a sacrifice.
   
• Ethan Doty allowed three earned runs over six innings for the Cards before four arms from the bullpen took over. Barber and Edgell both had two hits for the offense, which unfortunately left 10 on base compared to just six for the opposition.

 
UP NEXT:

Otterbein has four contests scheduled next week at Fishbaugh Field, beginning with single games against Ohio Wesleyan and Bluffton mid-week. Both start times are slated for 4 p.m.