UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – Otterbein softball split day two doubleheader action with John Carroll, taking the win in game one 11-9, and falling in game two by a final of 16-12.

The Cardinals wrap up their weekend with a 6-2 overall record, and start Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play at 3-1. The Blue Streaks pick up their first win of the season, moving to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in OAC action.

GAME ONE:
John Carroll opened the scoring for the day, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings. The Blue Streaks got a pair of doubles from Kristen Jesberger and Gabby Hougan to build the lead.

Jess Gunter, who was in the circle for the Cardinals, helped herself in the third inning with a two RBI-single to left field that plated Megan Payne and Maria Herron. JCU responded in the 4th adding another run to build a 4-2 lead.

The Cardinals then flipped the script in scoring nine unanswered runs. The rally included a two RBI-home run from Maria Herron in the sixth inning, followed by another two RBI-home run from Hannah Dobrinick in the seventh.

John Carroll made it interesting in the bottom half of the seventh inning plating four runs to pull within three. Isabelle Fisher came on to relieve Jess Gunter with the score at 11-8, after a wild pitch that scored a JCU run Fisher got the final two outs on ground outs to short stop Katrina Wierzbicki. Fisher earned her first save of the year in relief while Gunter moved to 3-0.  

GAME TWO:

Each side plated four runs in their first chances to bat, Hannah Dobrinick hit her second two run home run of the day in her first at bat.

The Cardinals built a 12-4 lead after four innings, but the Blue Streaks battled back to eventually tie it up at 12 in the fourth. JCU scored four unanswered runs after tying the game, eventually leading 16-12 after the fifth.

Otterbein failed to score through the final two innings ultimately losing for just the second time this season.

Isabelle Fisher was handed her first loss of the season after coming back in to pitch in game two (game four of the weekend) in a relief role.

UP NEXT:

The Cardinals will travel to New Concord on Saturday for more doubleheader action with the Muskingum Fighting Muskies. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.