PHOTO GALLERY

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – It was an action-packed day filled with multiple storylines around Fishbaugh Field, as Otterbein and Mount Union ultimately played to a high-scoring split in doubleheader action.

The Cardinals, falling behind early in the day, rallied to claim the opener 12-8 before Mount Union turned the tables in the finale by a 10-6 margin.

Otterbein now stands 15-8 overall and 4-2 within the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) as a result. The Purple Raiders, 30-game winners last season where they were runner-up to Marietta, are now also 4-2 within league play.

GAME ONE RECAP:
Otterbein scored an early run before a wacky second inning allowed the Raiders to plate seven unearned runs. A two-out error prolonged the sequence, and a hard-hitting Mount Union squad took full advantage after the fact. The visitors launched back-to-back homers, benefited from two other Cardinal errors defensively, and ended up posting a touchdown in the frame…

With a long ways to go, Otterbein stayed the course and began chipping away. Single runs over the next two frames led into a big fourth-inning outburst. Five-straight Cardinals reached back, eventually batting around the lineup and crossing six runs. The stretch was sparked by a 2-RBI single from Luke Barber (more on him below) and a two-out, 2-RBI triple off the bat of Brayden Quincel.

Mount Union wouldn't score again after that inning. Otterbein added insurance runs down the stretch thanks to aggressive baserunning in the seventh and a two-run blast off the Rike Center by Sam Edgell in the eighth.

A combined 27 hits were tallied in the contest, with four players on each side posting multiple knocks. Barber, Quincel and Edgell each had three.

Alex Hook earned the victory with two clean innings midway through, and fellow lefty Ashton Spurgeon notched a save with three shutout frames down the stretch.

GAME TWO RECAP:
The rematch saw both sides hold leads throughout early stages. Mount went ahead 1-0 from the gate, Otterbein regained a 2-1 edge in the third, and the visitors countered for a 4-2 lead in the seventh after a solo homer.

Otterbein responded following the seventh-inning stretch, getting an RBI groundout from Barber and then a triple down the right-field line from Noah Sprowls. He brought home Edgell, and then scored himself after a relay throw to the plate bounced away and went into the opposing dugout.

The Raider bats unfortunately had the final laugh, manufacturing two runs in the eighth to jump ahead and then posting four more in the top of the ninth to create breathing room.

BARBERSHOP OPEN LATE:
Although Otterbein couldn't deliver a late comeback, the bottom of the ninth did feature a notable piece of program history when Barber rocketed a single to right field. It marked the 218th hit of his storied college career, passing former teammate and previous record holder Ben Beachy atop the all-time list.

Despite playing in parts of five seasons, Barber's sample size remains in the same window as other program greats. He accomplishes the feat in 78 fewer at-bats and 28 less games than Beachy. The 2x Academic All-American wasted little time setting the record once it became within reach… as he is currently 12 for his last 18 at the dish (four consecutive three-hit outings).
 

Name	Hits	At-Bats	Games
Luke Barber	218	617	148
Ben Beachy	217	695	176
Wes Meadows	212	564	158
Tory Allen	209	610	173
Tyler Kent	208	599	158
Ben Titus	207	598	168

DIFFERENCE ON THE DAY:
The Otterbein pitching staff allowed just three free bases in the opener, but issued a dozen in the rematch via six walks, three hit batters and three wild pitches.

LOOKING AHEAD:
The Cards will need to refocus with a pair of challenging OAC road doubleheaders coming up, traveling to Ohio Northern mid-week and then nationally-ranked Baldwin Wallace on Good Friday.