DELAWARE, Ohio - The Otterbein softball team settled for a split against the Battling Bishops late Thursday afternoon in a game added to the schedule just 24 hours earlier. The Cards walked away with a narrow victory in the first game, but couldn't quite take the rematch to extra innings to complete a potential comeback.
 
GAME ONE RECAP (W 1-0):
 

• Strong pitching from Bryn Grabowski and Haylee Ternovan led the Cards to a shutout, allowing only two hits for OWU throughout.
   
• The Cards found six hits overall in the low-scoring battle, with Caroline Heller and Sydni Clever earning two each. Clever's RBI-double in the fourth inning (with two outs) brought freshman classmate Jen Sindledecker home and would ultimately prove to be the difference.
   
• The Cardinals saw other scoring opportunities that fell just short, with six runners left on base by the end of various innings.
   
• Grabowski fought in the circle for Otterbein over the first four innings with Ternovan finishing out the last three, notching a save after going 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh.

GAME TWO RECAP (L 7-6):
 

• A strong start in the first inning, including a three-run homer, put the Bishops ahead 4-0.
   
• The Cards began clawing their way back in the second inning thanks to a 2-RBI single from Isa Lewis, and later closed within 5-4 after another multi-RBI smack by Kendall Sestili.
   
• Otterbein was down to its last out in the top of the seventh with Megan Payne finding herself at the plate The junior launched a game-tying, solo shot over the left-field fence to deadlock the game (6-6) and erupt her teammates from the dugout.
   
• Unfortunately, Ohio Wesleyan would emerge in walk-off fashion after three defensive errors by Otterbein in the bottom half. The Bishops loaded the bases with two outs before crossing an unearned run.
   
• The game featured 21 combined hits and nine errors across the two sides.
   
• Autumn Fowler threw 4.2 innings of relief, striking out five batters in the process and allwing just one earned run.

 
LOOKING AHEAD:

• The Cardinals are scheduled to host cross-town rival Capital this coming weekend, with a doubleheader slated for Saturday but holding the potential to be moved to Sunday as a result of weather.