WESTERVILLE, Ohio- Otterbein Softball closes the book on its 2021 campaign by falling in its final two games against Ohio Northern. The Polar Bears took game one, 3-1, and then held on for a 4-3 win in eight innings, taking all four games from the Cards.
Otterbein finishes the season with an overall record of 14-25 and an 11-24 mark in Ohio Athletic Conference play. The Polar Bears improve their record to 20-17-1 overall and 19-16 in OAC play, they are currently slated to be the four seed in next weeks OAC tournament.
GAME ONE: Ohio Northern – 3, Otterbein – 1
The Polar Bears scored in their first chance to bat, plating one run on an RBI single through the right side.
Brook Crosby settled in after and held ONU off the board until the sixth inning when the Polar Bears added two more with a long single to right center.
The Cardinals lone score came soon after when leadoff hitter
Sage Jenkins hit a solo home run over the wall in left center. Crosby was handed the loss despite a 96-pitch effort that saw her strikeout two batters and give up no walks.
GAME TWO: Ohio Northern – 4, Otterbein – 3 (8 inn.)
ONU once again jumped out to an early lead, this time in the third inning with a 3-run home run to left center. The Cardinals trailed by that same score heading into their last chance to bat. In that half inning
Hannah Dobrinick scored when
Emma Spinner reached on a throwing error by the third baseman.
Soon after
Hannah Lewis grounded out to the pitcher but Spinner came home to score after avoiding the tag at the plate.
Savannah McCoppin then beat out a throw by the short stop that scored
Caroline Heller, the Cards could not add on though and the two sides went into extra innings at three all.
In the eighth the Polar Bears took the lead back with an RBI double, and then stranded
Katrina Wierzbicki on first in the next half of the inning for the win.
Jess Gunter took a no decision after five innings of work, tallying four strike outs.
Erin Vonderwell takes the loss in relief, she pitched three innings with three strikeouts and no walks. The Cardinals fall for the ninth time this season by a lone run.
SEASON REFLECTION:
Hannah Dobrinick finishes the season with the fourth best batting average of anyone in the OAC, a .417 mark... she also hit the second most home runs in the conference with eight.
Brook Crosby (82) and
Jess Gunter (79) finish fifth and sixth respectively for the leagues most strikeouts.
