WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Polar Bears of Ohio Northern took two games from Otterbein on a doubleheader day of baseball at Fishbaugh Field, exploding to win the opener before a late grand slam gave the visitors a sweep in the rematch.

ONU runs its winning streak to eight games and remains in the thick of the Ohio Athletic Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Cardinals remain on a skid as their unusual losing streak has now reached nine.

GAME ONE: (L 20-5)
Otterbein took an early lead on an RBI-groundout from Dmitri Collaros, but the Polar Bears started hitting everything around the yard with an aggressive mindset at the plate. ONU lead 6-2 entering the middle innings and added another three in the fifth.

The Cards tried their best to battle back, crossing two in the sixth courtesy of RBI's from Zach Franz and Brayden Carter. Northern countered with four runs in the next plate appearance and added seven unearned in its final at-bat, ballooning the final margin after a Cardinal throwing error allowed the sequence to continue.

ONU rocketed a staggering 25 hits in the game and received six fairly-solid innings from Nate Bye.

GAME TWO: (L 7-2)
Otterbein fell behind 1-0 in the opening frame but got that back in the third, as Brayden Carter came around to score after a single up the middle, advancing around the diamond on a failed pickoff attempt and then flying home on a sac fly from Collaros.

The Cardinals (now trailing 2-1) had a prime opportunity to leapfrog ahead in the fourth with two runners in scoring position and no outs. However, an odd double-play groundout and ensuing flyout on the next batter kept Otterbein off the scoreboard.

Otterbein had its leadoff hitter reach base in the fifth and sixth, but to no avail. Ohio Northern promptly threw a haymaker in the seventh when Krue Thwaits launched a grand slam to left-center than pushed the gap too far.

Luke Barber mashed a solo homer in the eighth, but the Cardinals would be done scoring after that en route to another tough defeat. Barber hit 3 for 4 in the game while Will Johnson and Ryan Mitchell both had multi-hit games as well.

Ethan Doty was sharp on the mound despite having to absorb the loss, allowing just two runs over six frames. He struck out four batters and walked none.

FINISHING THE SERIES:
Both teams will have Sunday off as Ohio Northern will instead enjoy commencement. The Cards will then travel over to Ada for another doubleheader come Monday afternoon.