UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – Despite being picked to finish dead last in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) preseason poll, the Otterbein softball team has instead played its way into the postseason.

The Cardinals, splitting at John Carroll by scores of 10-6 and 8-5 across a marathon Saturday afternoon, officially clinched the fourth/final spot in the upcoming four-team OAC Tournament. Otterbein holds a 23-11 overall mark and settles 10-8 against league opponents, one game better than Heidelberg.

Otterbein will open Friday at noon against host and regular-season champ Ohio Northern, serving as host of the league's postseason event. Muskingum (2) and Mount Union (3) will also be in the bracket.

GAME ONE (W 10-6, 13 innings):
An insanely wild marathon opener saw the Cardinals ahead 6-1 midway through the six frame, until JCU mounted a late surge. The Blue Streaks scored twice in the bottom of that inning, and then came up with a stunning two-out, three-run home in their final plate appearance to force extras.

Neither team scored over the next five innings of extra softball despite chances with runners in scoring position. JCU had the winning run on third base in the tenth with just one out, but Jess Gunter came on to escape the jam and keep her squad alive.

Otterbein eventually broke through in the top of the 13th. A leadoff single by Sage Jenkins and sac bunt from Savannah McCoppin set the stage for Megan Payne, who launched a go-ahead RBI double to left field. Caroline Heller followed with a two-run homer and the Cards would go on to prevail.

Jenkins, Payne and Heller all had four hits in the game, while Gunter earned a much-deserved victory in tossing the last four frames.

GAME TWO (L 8-5):
The Blue Streaks admirably took the rematch following that heartbreak,  using a big five-run outburst in the second inning to lead the remainder of the day. Otterbein remained aggressive and found some momentum in the middle frames behind a two-run home from senior Hannah lewis.

JCU later carried an 8-3 edge into the seventh. Otterbein scored twice thanks to base knocks from Heller and Taylor Baran, but it wouldn't be enough as the home side salvaged a split.

The Cards, who carry just three active pitchers on the roster, implemented each of them once again in the rematch. Gunter began the game befoe Haylee Ternovan and Bryn Grabowski took over from there. All in all, the trio chucked 19 innings on the day.

Five players had multi-hit days in the rematch, guided by a 3 for 4 effort off McCoppin's bat. The Cards finished with a 14-8 hit advantage as a team, but four JCU scoring plays were 2-RBI rips.

LOOKING AHEAD:
Stay tuned for full OAC Tournament Preview coming next week!