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FORT MYERS, Fla. – A bounce-back effort was in order for the Otterbein baseball team after an off day in Florida, and that's exactly what took place as the Cardinals delivered a pair of victories at the Player Development Complex. Otterbein is now 5-5 on the season with a pair of weekend games to culminate the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

Thursday vs. Baruch (15-4 Win):
Otterbein jumped all over the Bearcats, a returning NCAA Tournament team, early on with a solo run in the first frame and then exploding for seven runs in the second. Senior Tommy Murphy, making his first varsity start out of the DH spot, roped a two-run single that made it 6-0. Matthew Gibson capped the inning with a two-run homer to right field.

Baruch, out of New York City, crossed a pair in the third frame but Otterbein answered right back as sophomore outfielder Sam Edgell catapulted a two-run blast over the right-field fence. The Cards coasted to victory from there, scoring another five times and keeping Baruch off the scoreboard from the sixth frame on.

Junior Ethan Doty improved to 3-0 on the hill by going five innings and then giving way to classmate Nick Meyer, who absolutely shoved the final four en route to compiling six strikeouts and earning a save. Doty parlayed his momentum into the annual Jungle Golf putt-putt competition later that evening, edging out defending champ and SID Adam Prescott by one stroke to claim the title.

Six Cardinals tallied multi-hit games in the affair, as Otterbein shuffled around its offensive lineup a bit.

Friday vs. Olivet (6-1 Win):
A showdown between the Cardinals and Comets, competing out of Michigan, settled into an old-fashioned pitching duel between a pair of sophomores. Olivet starter Hunter Henson and Otterbein right-hander Eric Aufderbeck pitched out of some situations early to keep the game scoreless after four innings.

The Cardinals jumped ahead for good in the fifth, getting a timely 2-RBI poke up the middle from Gino Pierro that brought home Brayden Carter and Dmitri Collaros from scoring position. Olivet got one back in the sixth after top hitter Riley Bennett rocketed a triple, and came in to score following a nice catch down the left-field line from Gibson that kept the damage to just a sac fly.

Gibson then helped get that run back in the bottom half, smoking a triple of his own and husting home on a fielder's choice sequence where the Olivet third baseman bobbled a grounder. The Cards tacked on insurance runs late, getting a sac fly from Pierro followed by an inside-the-park home run via Ryan Mitchell. He poked a ball down the opposite field line, and scooted around the bases after the right fielder couldn't come up with a lunging effort.

Henson was pretty sharp for Olivet until getting relieved after 122 pitches, allowing just two earned runs over 6.1 innings and fanning right Cardinals.

The real story of the day, however, was Aufderbeck and his complete-game performance. The Cincinnati Elder product, who has a rare heart condition and has endured seven surgeries throughout his life, missed all of his freshman season after doctors needed to do patchwork and replace a pulmonary valve. After making his varsity debut on Sunday with a short relief effort, Aufderbeck took the ball on Friday and proceeded to allow just the one run and six hits across 110 pitches. He also struck out five in what became a memorable day.

Pierro drove in three runs as he continues to perform well at second base, while fellow Steubenville native Collaros was 2 for 5 in the lead-off spot.

Up Next:
Otterbein will compete inside the historical Terry Park main stadium on Saturday against Augustana, and culminate the trip on Sunday morning vs. Carroll. Both game times are scheduled for 9 a.m.