BEREA, Ohio – It was a disappointing stretch (albeit very competitive results) on the diamond for Otterbein across a full Friday at the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, suffering elimination just one game shy of the championship round.

The Cardinals, looking to work back after a morning loss to Baldwin Wallace, dropped a 7-2 game with Marietta for the right to face the host Yellow Jackets again. Instead, the Pioneers used a big seventh inning to break open a 2-2 deadlock and not allow Otterbein to strike magic twice in two days.
Now, the Cards stand 26-15 overall and will wait to learn of their potential NCAA fate this coming week. More on that below.

THE PLOT:

• Marietta charted two initial runs against Otterbein freshman Grady Kehr on the bump, starting the game with three-straight hits and then benefiting from a throwing error coming home on a fielder's choice. Kehr rebounded nicely with a pair of strikeouts.
   
• The Cardinals threatened in their first at-bat until coming up empty, putting runners on the corners (with one out) before a pair of swinging K's.
   
• Otterbein kept grinding and finally broke through with solo runs in the third and fifth. Leadoff hits from Brayden Carter and Noah Sprowls ultimately led to a sac fly by Jamie Perebzak… after Carter moved around the diamond from first to third just prior…
   
• Then, in the fifth, the same duo at the top of the lineup got things rolling as Carter ripped a leadoff double and Sprowls was beaned. Perebzak delivered once again with a bouncing single through the left side that tied the game… with Carter sliding across home plate and into the jubilation of his dugout. A pitching change led to Jared Bees retiring the next two Cardinals and limiting potential damage.
   
• Kehr worked hard to overcome a leadoff double by Marietta in the sixth, and the frame ended with Perebzak snagging a hard line drive. But that energy was short lived as the Pioneers rallied to score five runs in the seventh, ignited by a pair of extra-base hits with one out.  

THE BOX:

• The top-four hitters in Otterbein's lineup went a combined 7 for 13 in the game, while the bottom five ended 1 for 15 collectively.
   
• Carter (who had a long flyout in the ninth) now holds 245 hits for his storied career, just one shy of all-time leader Luke Barber atop the program record books. Note: He was 2 for 2 in the opening game at Wilmington last week before it was deemed a no contest.
   
• Kehr, making his college postseason debut, continued showing his long-term potential by contributing 6.1 innings of work. Luke Walter threw an efficient 2.2 scoreless in relief.
   
• All-Region standout Trent Valentine was 3 for 5 in the middle of Marietta's lineup.
   
• Bees, who absorbed the loss in Otterbein's magic comeback on Thursday, delivered a monumental relief effort this time around with 4.2 scoreless after entering in the fourth. He struck out five and allowed just one hit the entire showing.

WHAT NOW?

• The Cardinals, featuring a very good strength of schedule with multiple opponents near/atop their respective conferences, now hope for an at-large bid to the upcoming NCAA Division iii Championships. That selection show (streamed on NCAA.com) is scheduled for Monday at noon.