ADRIAN, Mich. – Graduation weekend might have passed, but the Otterbein Baseball team is still moving full throttle ahead with plenty of action left on both the regular-season and postseason docket.

After Tuesday's home contest with Oberlin was canceled due to rain (what's new), the Cardinals headed a few hours north for a non-conference doubleheader on beautiful Nicolai Field Wednesday afternoon at Adrian College.

The Cardinals dropped the first showdown 4-2, but gathered themselves to claim a 5-3 decision in another low-scoring affair during the rematch. Otterbein now stands 25-11 on the season as a whole despite missing a handful of would-be-performers for the day trip.

GAME ONE:
The Cards struck early in their first plate appearance, taking a 2-0 lead behind an RBI-single from Sam Edgell and then Noah Sprowls drawing a walk with the bases loaded.

Adrian took advantage of some free bases in the third, benefiting from a pair of early walks and ensuing hit-by-pitch to jump ahead. Don Goodes ripped a 2-RBI single and a sacrifice fly eventually gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead.

Otterbein was unable to muster anything else in the seven-inning game, getting just one infield single the remainder of the way. Ryan Mitchell was 2 for 2 in the game while Cardinal pitchers unfortunately allowed five walks, threw a wild pitch and hit another two Bulldog

GAME TWO:
The fiery Cardinal bats took control early in the second outing, scoring four runs on four hits in the opening frame. Edgell, hitting out of the 5-hole, came up with the biggest play after Brayden Carter, Luke Barber and Jamie Perebak all singled to load the bases. He smoked a bases-clearing double to left field and Otterbein never trailed again…

Adrian scored twice in the third, but freshman left-hander Roby Kain came on in relief and induced a pair of swinging strikeouts to limit the damage. Otterbein found an insurance run in the fifth when Perebzak ("a.k.a The Big Swagu") brought home Carter with an infield single.

Adrian strung together a late rally in the seventh, scoring once and bringing the tying run to the plate before Hunter Passwaters escaped the mini threat. He secured a groundout and subsequent flyout for his third save of the spring.

Braydon McCloskey threw the first three innings as Otterbein's starter on the mound. Kain earned the win while Jackson Peloquin provided three solid innings of relief before exiting late.

FRIDAY MATCHUP:
Otterbein will now turn its attention to No. 1-ranked Marietta this coming Friday evening, with a doubleheader scheduled at 4 and 7 p.m. It will be a matchup of the top-two teams in the OAC standings.