TUCSON, Ariz. – The bats were alive and well to begin the Tucson Invitational Games over the weekend, as Otterbein hit the ground running with a hectic stretch both on and off the diamond in The Grand Canyon State.

The Cardinals topped Allegheny in a pair of bookend games at the Kino Sports Complex, sandwiched around a wild loss to Bethany Lutheran (Minn.) in Sunday morning action. Otterbein plated 45 runs across the three games… with the initial two lasting roughly three and a half hours each.

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SATURDAY VS. ALLEGHENY (W 14-7):

The Cardinals and Gators played a marathon opener under the lights, which began with Allegheny starting pitcher Conor Deasy suffering an unfortunate injury after giving up two early hits in the first inning…

Allegheny was forced to implement its bullpen earlier than expected, and the hard-hitting Cards took advantage by scoring in each of the first six frames. Otterbein broke things open with five runs in the second, highlighted by an RBI double from Noah Sprowls and double-steal sequence featuring speedsters Jamie Perebzak and Gavin Thompson.

Perebzak and Brayden Quincel launched towering home runs in the middle innings, and the run support was more than enough for senior Jackson Peloquin on the bump. The right-hander allowed just one earned run over five strong, before reliever Braydon McCloskey ended up going the final three for his second save of the year..

The top-seven bats in Otterbein's lineup all enjoyed multi-hit evenings.

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SUNDAY VS. BETHANY LUTHERAN (L 29-19):

If there was a working scoreboard at the park, every lightbulb would have blown out before noon. The "breakfast ball" matchup against BLC was as hectic as that final score might suggest, beginning with the Vikings opening a 9-2 lead after two innings…

Both teams plated six runs in the fifth as bats stayed potent and the sun remained a challenging obstacle for outfielders. Bethany Lutheran ballooned its margin to 17-6 at the midway point before Otterbein countered with six in the bottom half and kept things interesting…

Otterbein faced a football-like deficit (21-14) entering the bottom of the eighth but never quit, batting around in the frame to claw back once more. The first seven Cardinals reached base in the frame via four hit-by-pitches, two walks and just one hit… shrinking the gap to only 21-19 in the process.

However, the Vikings threw one final punch to cross eight more in their final at-bat to create enough separation in the morning madness.

The game featured 47 total hits, including Ben Hopper from BLC going 6 for 8 from the leadoff spot and crossing the plate six times. Three Cardinals (Brayden Carter, Perebzak and Ryan Grant) all had three-hit performances.

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SUNDAY VS. ALLEGHENY (W 12-2):

Otterbein got back on the diamond following a mid-day break, taking advantage of lightning service at the local In-and-Out Burger before regrouping at the hotel. The Cards then returned to Field #5 at Kino and took down the Gators for a second time…

The Cards consistently pulled away with all scoring done in the second, third and fourth innings… and rode the right arm of promising freshman Luke Walter on the mound.

Walter chucked a complete-game effort before his team secured a run-rule victory, striking out seven batters (and walking none) over the distance. His charged/earned run in the third came after a tricky popup to shallow left field descended through the sun (with a pair of Cardinal gloves in the area) and was reluctantly scored a double.

Nevertheless, Walter kept the Gators corralled and watched his defense finish the day. Quincel cut off a throw to second and relayed back to catcher Max Latkosvki, thwarting a double-steal sequence and getting the Cardinals to a 5-2 record this spring.

Gavin Wolf, a recent transfer, hit 4 for 4 as the starting right fielder while four Cardinals had multiple RBI. Perebzak tallied three hits for the third-straight game on the trip.

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UP NEXT:

The Cardinals will have another three games against the above opponents, playing a Monday doubleheader against BLC before a single nine-inning rubber match with Allegheny.