WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein softball team remained perfect on its home field Tuesday afternoon, sweeping a non-conference doubleheader with nearby Denison by scores of 6-2 and 9-1. As a result, the Cards now stand with an impressive 18-6 overall record.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS:
Otterbein scored two runs in the third inning when Isa Lewis, after crushing a massive plate of nachos in the campus center during a late lunch, shook off the heartburn to contribute some timely hitting. She rocketed a two-out pitch into the right-center alley… which scored teammates Caroline Heller and Taylor Baran.

The Cardinals led for the remainder of the game, although a scrappy Denison team only trailed 2-1 midway through the fifth. Otterbein broke things open in the bottom portion of that inning, scoring four times while batting around the lineup…

Macy Allen ignited the rally with a one-out double, the offensive push later saw back-to-back RBI knocks from Heller and Hannah Lewis, and Otterbein nearly added more before a check-swing strikeout left the bases loaded.

The Big Red added a late run, with two outs in their final at-bat, but the cushion was more than enough for Jess Gunter in the complete-game victory. She moved to a 7-4 record on the season, working around some key situations with runners on base.

Savannah McCoppin hit a perfect 4 for 4 in the game while Heller went 3 of 4 at the dish.


GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS:
The game was scoreless entering the bottom of the third, where Otterbein used two early triples (Allen and McCoppin) before taking advantage of a couple Denison miscues. A passed ball and throwing error ultimately helped prolong the frame, where the Cards smacked around four-straight singles to bring across a handful of unearned runs.

The Big Red countered with a solo homer to begin the next inning, but that would be all the damage against freshman ace Bryn Grabowski in the circle for the home side. Her offense added another trifecta in the fourth, and she remained poise to strand two runners in the fifth for a nice run-rule decision.

Grabowski improved to 11-2 this season while Otterbein finished with another 11 hits offensively, including two-hit games off the bats of McCoppin, Baran and Sami Ange.


UPCOMING SLATE:
Wednesday's home doubleheader with Ohio Northern has now been pushed to Saturday as a result of weather. The Cardinals will remain at home and play before that, however, as Baldwin Wallace comes to town for a doubleheader on Good Friday beginning at 1 p.m.