WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Otterbein softball team swept the Student Princes of Heidelberg by scores of 4-2 and 6-2 during the Strikeout Cancer Game at home Saturday afternoon. 
 

The Cardinals had the bats moving, earning 15 hits on the day between the two games. The Cards also provided a supportive defense to back up strong pitching from Bryn Grabowski, Brook Crosby, and Kiley King en route to the sweep.

GAME 1

The Student Princes took the first lead of the game by adding one run to the board in the first inning. The Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the inning with two of their own runs to get ahead and stay ahead for the remainder of the contest.

Grabowski picked up her eighth win of the season after pitching a complete game to open up the doubleheader. The sophomore pitcher faced 27 batters and only gave up 2 runs in the game to help keep the Cardinals on track for the victory.

The Otterbein offense aided Grabowskis' victory in the circle with multiple players earning hits and RBIs. Kendall Sestili earned two hits in the first game and one RBI, with teammates Megan Payne and Caitlin Wilkins each claiming one hit and one RBI also.

Heidelberg threatened the Cardinal lead in the final inning with runners on third base and first base. The Student Princes had the chance to take the game to extra innings but Grabowski stopped the potential comeback by earning the last two outs off of a pop-up and strikeout.

GAME 2

Otterbein pushed across a trio of runs in the second inning behind three hits to take the early lead, with Sydni Clever and Wilkins each earning an RBI.

The Cards held steady and evenly placed more runs on the board as the game continued. All seven hits of the second game came from different Cardinals.

Sage Jenkins found herself in a long battle at the plate to open up the third inning. Looking for a hit or a walk with a full count, Jenkins opted for the hit on the tenth pitch of the at-bat and sent the ball flying over the left-center fence!

The final two runs of the game for Otterbein came in the bottom of the fifth inning. With bases loaded, Payne singled down the right field line to bring Wilkins in. Taylor Baran was walked the next at-bat and brought home Jenkins for the last run.

Crosby held down the Cardinals in the circle for the first five innings of the game, and King came in as relief in the top of the sixth where she would finish out the game. 

MOVING FORWARD
The Cards press on with an overall record of 13-10-1, while holding a 7-3 record in the OAC. Otterbein has roughly reached the halfway point of conference play and with the wins from today's doubleheader the Cardinals have placed themselves in a five-way tie for first place. Otterbein softball will hit the road for their next contest, looking to battle the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern on April 19th.