Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 TIFFIN, Ohio – A matchup between two of the top projected teams in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) lived up to billing Saturday afternoon, as Otterbein and No. 24-ranked Heidelberg split a key doubleheader at Peaceful Valley Field.

The Cardinals, now 12-10 on the year and 4-2 within OAC play, took a relatively high-scoring opener before the host Student Princes claimed a lower-scoring rematch.


Game 1 (11-8 Win):

Otterbein traded early punches with Heidelberg in a wild beginning to the day, as both teams scored three runs in the first inning and then runs continued.

The Cards jumped ahead on a two-out, bases-loaded triple from senior Tim Snyder but the Student Princes countered in the bottom half on a pair of extra-base hits. Matt Psychas doubled down the left-field line and Marc Ochoa rocketed a home run to a similar spot.

Otterbein remained hot at the plate to take control from there, getting a monstrous two-run homer from Connor Brett in the third inning and ultimately opening a 9-3 advantage for senior Johnny Putnam on the hill.

Heidelberg later trailed 11-6 in the sixth before loading the bases with one out, prompting the Cards to dive into the bullpen. Freshman lefty Travis Burson came in to strike out the next two hitters and keep the score as is.

Otterbein led 11-8 after the Berg got two back in the seventh, but it became time for the "Money Mann" as junior closer Collin Hoffmann took over the bump. He chucked a perfect eighth with a couple of strikeouts, and then overcame an early single in the ninth to retire the next three hitters for his fifth save of the spring.

Snyder, shortstop Ben Beachy and catcher Adam Stotler all had two-hit games for the Cardinal offense, which only left six on base compared to 11 for the hosts. Putnam improved to 3-1 on the hill with a valiant effort, throwing 108 pitches on short rest after tossing 91 on Tuesday afternoon at Muskingum.

 
Game 2 (6-1 Loss):

The rematch settled into a pitching duel between Ethan Doty and Alex Sir Louis, with only two runs being scored across six frames. Heidelberg plated both of those, getting an RBI-double in the second and then a single up the middle in the sixth.

Otterbein kept working to counter, slicing the deficit in half on a sac fly from Snyder in the seventh and then seeing a prime opportunity in the eighth after a one-out double from Dmitri Collaros. He then advanced to 90 feet away on a wild pitch, but was thrown out trying to score on the next play during a fielder's choice grounder to third.

Heidelberg (16-7, 4-2 OAC) then got to the Cardinal bullpen in its final at bat, bringing across a handful of insurance runs to solidify the win and secure a split.

Doty went seven strong innings despite having to take the loss, allowing just two runs on four hits across exactly 100 pitches. Brett and Matthew Gibson went 2 for 4 each at the dish.

 
UP NEXT:

A pair of home OAC doubleheader are on tap next week sandwiched around a date with No. 8-ranked Wooster. The Cards host Wilmington on Tuesday, head to Wooster on Thursday and then welcome Capital come Saturday afternoon at Fishbaugh Field.