WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal baseball team dropped a pair of sluggish mid-week outings to begin action at Fishbaugh Field this spring, falling to Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday before another narrow defeat against Bluffton on Wednesday.

Tuesday vs Ohio Wesleyan (5-3 Loss)

Miscues hurt the Cardinals throughout against the Battling Bishops, as only one of the five runs was earned from start to finish. Otterbein mishandled a few OWU bunt attempts in the early going, but only trailed 2-1 midway through the fifth before drawing even on a double down the left-field line from Luke Barber. That rip scored Sam Edgell all the way from first base.

The Bishops (5-4) jumped ahead in the top of the seventh on a passed ball, and Otterbein got a leadoff hitter aboard in the bottom half before getting thrown out on a missed hit-and-run opportunity.

OWU later held a 5-2 lead midway through the ninth after a pair of insurance runs. The Cards got one run back on a two-out single from Ben Beachy, bringing the tying run to the plate, before a flyout ended the day.

Freshman Travis Engard threw fairly well on the hill despite taking a loss, allowing just one earned run of 6.1 frames. Seth Pritchett earned a victory for Ohio Wesleyan by surrendering just two runs over six innings.

Tim Snyder went 3 for 4 on the Cardinal offensive side while Barber and Matthew Gibson, making his first start in right field, had two-hit efforts.
 

Wednesday vs Bluffton (7-6 Loss)

Each side scored an early run before Otterbein opened a 4-1 lead in the fourth, receiving two-out hits from Barber and Snyder on quality at-bats.

Bluffton (7-7) worked its way back from that point by tallying six unanswered runs, scoring twice in the next plate appearance and then capitalizing on some Cardinal mishaps in the sixth. A walk, throwing error, empty play on a fielder's-choice bunt and passed ball allowed the Beavers to cross three times in the sequence and open a 7-4 cushion.

Otterbein got one back in the seventh on a pinch-hit RBI double from Connor Brett, and another in the eighth when Beachy rocketed a solo homer to left field.

Collin Hoffman kept Bluffton at bay in the top of the ninth, and the Cards appeared to be poised for a comeback win in the bottom portion by loading the bases with one out. Unfortunately, a swinging strikeout and ensuing flyout helped the Beavers narrowly escape in a wild and highly-energetic ending.

The Cardinals, sitting a few starters and employing a bit of a different lineup, got multi-hit afternoons from Beachy, Barber, Snyder and freshman second baseman Gino Pierro. He singled through the right side and also laid down a bunt single in his first-ever start.

Otterbein left 13 on base during the game and struck out nine times. Junior Cody Goletz, who began the year as an outfielder, went five innings on the mound in taking a no-decision.

Freshman Sam Edgell saw a 10-game hitting streak unfortunately snapped after a torrid stretch, the last six games all being two-hit performances.


UP NEXT:

Otterbein will stay at home to finish the week, hosting Mount Union in a conference-opening doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.