PHOTO GALLERY (Game 1)

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Freshman Bryn Grabowski and graduate student Jess Gunter combined to toss 18 scoreless innings as Otterbein swept Ohio Athletic Conference foe Baldwin Wallace on a very Good Friday afternoon. The Cards walked off with a 1-0 win in 11 innings in the opener before picking up a 3-0 decision in the nightcap to improve to 10-0 at home.

GAME 1 RECAP: (W 1-0 – 11 innings)
The story in game one was the phenomenal pitching performances from Grabowski and Baldwin Wallace junior Nikki Camarati. The two aces combined to throw 316 pitches, strikeout 27 batters, issue six walks and scatter nine hits.

Grabowski found herself in a jam in the third inning with runners at second and third, but a groundball to senior third baseman Savannah McCoppin ended the threat. The Yellow Jackets had another opportunity to push the game's first run across in the fourth, but the rookie hurler induced another ground out to sophomore first baseman Megan Payne to keep the game scoreless.

Another highlight for the Cardinal defense came in the fifth when sophomore second baseman Taylor Baran corralled a pop fly in short right and doubled Emily Mau off at first. Mau later hit into a double play in the 10th frame that saw McCoppin snag a line drive and double off Amanda Crisler at first.

Camarati was perfect through the first 4.2 innings as she faced the minimum 14 batters before issuing a two-out walk and surrendering a base hit to right center. After a stolen base put two runners in scoring position, the junior escaped the jam with her 11th strikeout of the game.

After drawing a walk to open the 11th, Julia Gersey dropped a sacrifice bunt that moved the go-ahead run into scoring position. However, a foul out to Payne and a liner grabbed by Baran kept Baldwin Wallace off the board.

Payne reached with a one-out base hit that fell just in front of a diving Mackenzie Morsillo in left field. Sophomore Caroline Heller put a charge into a ball that was tracked down by Lexy Coggins, who finished with three putouts in center field. With two down, Baran unloaded a shot that nearly cleared the left center wall. With Payne running on the crack of the bat, she easily crossed the plate to secure the extra-inning victory.

Grabowski improved to 12-2 on the year after scattering four hits and fanning eight. Baran and McCoppin led the defensive cause for Otterbein. Baran finished with eight putouts and three assists, while McCoppin retired three batters and assisted on four more outs. Senior Macy Allen finished with two of the Cardinals five hits and swiped a bag.

Camarati took the hard-luck loss after surrendering one run on five hits with four walks and a career-high 19 strikeouts. Mau logged two of Baldwin Wallace's four hits in the opener.

GAME 2 RECAP: (W 3-0)
The combination of Gunter inside the circle and freshman Isa Lewis at the plate powered Otterbein to the series sweep.

Lewis opened the scoring with a double to deep left center that pushed across Heller and McCoppin. Gunter retired the first 10 batters she faced before Coggins reached via walk in the fourth. After a base hit put two runners on, a fielder's choice out at third by Gunter and a pop out to Lewis at short ended the threat.

Otterbein added an insurance run in the fifth when Heller scored on a throwing error after an infield single by Lewis. BW had one last surge in the sixth with runners at second and third with one out, but a pop up to Lewis and a ground out to McCoppin halted another scoring opportunity.

In addition to her two hits and two RBIs, Lewis also recorded two putouts and one assist. Payne reached base safely three times via a single and two walks. Gunter (8-4) allowed four hits and struck out four in the win.

ON DECK:
Otterbein (20-6, 7-3 OAC) returns to action this Monday (April 18) when they host OAC leader Ohio Northern. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.