ALLIANCE, Ohio — Otterbein put together two competitive efforts on the road Sunday at No. 15 ranked Mount Union, piling up quality at‑bats and late‑inning resilience before ultimately dropping both ends of the OAC doubleheader at Rafeld‑Rogers Field. The Purple Raiders mounted a comeback to win 11-5 in the opener before a devastating 5-4 walkoff in the nightcap. 

Game One – Mount Union 11, Otterbein 5
Otterbein produced one of its strongest offensive outings of the season in the opener, racking up 16 hits and getting multi‑hit performances from four different Cardinals. JT Gels led the way with a 4-for-5, 3 RBI effort that included a pair of run‑scoring hits early and a RBI double in the fourth. Nolan James added three hits and two RBI, while Calvin Mabry and Jack Barber each finished 3-for-5 to help fuel the attack.

The Cardinals wasted no time applying pressure, opening the game with four straight hits. Mabry and Barber set the table with back‑to‑back singles, and James moved the runners before Gels delivered an RBI single to center. Daniel Uhl followed with another base hit to load the bases, giving Otterbein a quick 1–0 lead. Otterbein kept rolling in the second, sparked by a walk to Braylon Boggs and another Mabry single. James punched a run‑scoring single to center, and Gels followed with his second RBI knock of the day to make it 3–0.

After Mount Union trimmed the margin to 3–1, the Cardinals answered with their biggest swing of the game in the fourth. Barber ripped a double to left, James followed with an RBI double to center, and Gels capped the surge with a deep RBI double to right, stretching the lead to 5–1.

Mount Union responded with steady scoring in the middle innings and ultimately used a five‑run seventh to take control. 

Game Two – Mount Union 5, Otterbein 4
Otterbein again put itself in position to win late, backed by a strong start on the mound and timely production from the heart of the order. Uhl drove in both early runs with a two‑RBI single, while Boggs reached twice, scored twice, and sparked the ninth‑inning comeback. Maverick Rabe turned in one of his best outings of the season, working 5.1 innings with just one earned
run allowed and three strikeouts.

The Cardinals broke through in the third after James and Gels reached on back‑to‑back walks. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, and Uhl delivered a sharp single to right to plate them for a 2–0 lead.

Rabe kept Mount Union off balance through the first four innings, allowing only one hit before the Raiders connected on a solo homer in the fourth. The hosts added two unearned runs in the sixth to take a 3–2 advantage.

Otterbein refused to go quietly, mounting a dramatic rally in the ninth. Michael Vega‑Marquez drew a pinch‑hit walk, and Geoffrey Siess entered to run, immediately stealing third before scoring the tying run on a passed ball. Moments later, Boggs came home on a wild pitch to push Otterbein back in front, 4–3.

Mount Union answered in the bottom half, stringing together three singles and a walk before a hit‑by‑pitch brought in the winning run.

The Cardinals hit the home dirt next in their matchup against Oberlin College this Tuesday, March 31^st. Opening pitch is slated for 4 p.m.