LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Otterbein baseball team launched its season with a 2-1 record in the Derby City Classic, overcoming an initial loss to win the last pair in the event at Spalding University.

The Cardinals began the action Friday with a loss to The College of Woster, but responded nicely to best the host Eagles in a nightcap under the lights. Otterbein returned to the diamond Sunday afternoon for a rematch with Wooster, and got even by the same exact score.

Full recaps and highlights of all three games below!

FRIDAY VS. WOOSTER (L 10-4):

The Scots grabbed an early run before Noah Sprowls gave Otterbein a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second, crushing a pitch over the left-field fence that also allowed Brayden Carter to waltz home.

That score remained intact until Wooster posted a huge frame in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of a few Cardinal miscues and plating five runs while using just one out. The damage could have been worse as the Scots still had the bases loaded, before grounding into a double play that helped Otterbein finally get back to the dugout.

Wooster added three more in the next frame to bust the game open, and manufactured runs from Max McCann (walk) and Logan Ullom (sac fly) in the sixth wouldn't be nearly enough to help erase the deficit.

Luke Walter lasted 3.1 innings as the starting pitcher while newcomer Russ Wight tossed a scoreless eighth in his college debut.

FRIDAY VS. SPALDING (W 7-4):

Otterbein salvaged the day with a nice victory against the hosts in the nightcap, spearheaded by a strong debut from ace Kyler Archual on the bump. The Tiffin transfer did not allow a hit or earned run over his five innings of work, which encompassed 87 pitches and four strikeouts.

The Cards took their lead for good with a trio in the top of the fifth, generating the first run via small ball with a leadoff walk, sac bunt, single and then sacrifice fly off the bat of Sprowls. An infield RBI-single from Jamie Perebzak forced a Spalding pitching change, but Brayden Quincel ripped one of his own shortly thereafter.

Otterbein continued moving the baseball in the sixth to manufacture another pair of (unearned) runs this time, and received two more insurance runs in the ninth when Perebzak smoked a ball into the right-center gap.

That poke helped Otterbein carry a 7-1 cushion into the bottom of ninth before the Eagles, an NCAA Tournament team last year after winning the SLIAC, made things interesting.

Spalding batted around in the final sequence, which began with a walk and two-run homer to immediately make the score 7-3. A foul out and hit by pitch ensued before George Powell opted for reliever Nick Plucinski out of the pen…

The senior overcame an initial double that barely snuck inside the left-field line, sitting down the next two batters on a flyout to Adam Folk in centerfield and then a game-ending strikeout. It marks his first save of the young season.

Archual picked up the victory while Sam Sethna provided 3.1 innings of relief, throwing relatively well before enduring that two-run blast in the ninth.

Otterbein doubled up the hosts in total hits at 10-5, led by a 4 for 5 effort from Carter in the leadoff spot. Both teams left nine on base in the game.

SATURDAY VS. WOOSTER (W 10-4):

Both sides exchanged momentum swings and early leads. Wooster hit the board first on a double-steal sequence, but the Otterbein bats got moving quickly after behind an RBI-double from Noah Sprowls, infield single from Brayden Carter and Gavin Wolf drawing a walk with the bases loaded.

The Cardinals led 4-2 after three full but Wooster deadlocked things in the fourth by plating a deuce. That tie remained the same across the midway point of the nine-inning affair until Otterbein strung together a difference-making sequence in the fifth…

Otterbein batted around to ultimately post five runs despite all scoring done with two outs. Carter walked with the bases loaded to force a pitching change, but the patient Cardinals pushed forward as Sprowls and Wolf also saw four balls to bring home more teammates. Perebzak busted the floodgates wide open with a 2-RBI single the opposite way.

That support would be more than enough for the duo of Bryson Bell (starter) and Luke Perigo (reliever) on the hill. Bell, also making his Otterbein debut after transferring from Walsh, earned the W after chucking 92 pitches over his six frames. Perigo tossed the final three scoreless to be credited with a save.

Ullom hit 3 for 4 from the eight hole while Sprowls also enjoyed a multi-hit outing. The top-four bats in the lineup combined for nine RBI.
Carter hit .417 over a dozen at-bats on the weekend and 10 different pitchers were able to see action.

UP NEXT:

The Cardinals will now gear up for their annual spring trip to Florida, with nine varsity games on the docket between March 2-10 in the Port Charlotte/Fort Myers area.