(Written by Adam Prescott)

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TIFFIN, Ohio – As with most Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheaders, you need to remain locked in and stay the course over a full nine innings to achieve the best of results…

That's exactly what Otterbein had to do Saturday afternoon on the road in order to secure hard-fought victories (scores of 11-9 and 6-4) at a pesky Heidelberg team inside Peaceful Valley.

With the pair of two-run outcomes, the Cardinals improve themselves to 21-8 on the year and up to 6-4 against the OAC. That mark currently situates them one game back of second place in the league standings as competition moves across the midway point.

GAME ONE RECAP:

• A good starting pitching matchup between Luke Walter and Heidelberg's Jackson Powers began the opener, with Otterbein clinging to a 3-2 lead midway through the seventh. Brayden Quincel launched a solo homer in the sixth.
• Scoring picked up in the later innings to create an interesting finish. Heidelberg scored two in the bottom of the seventh on a pair of doubles, jumping back ahead 4-3.
  
• The Cards punched right back in the eighth, batting around to ultimately plate four runs and assume a 7-4 cushion. Gavin Wolf drew a leadoff walk, Quincel reached on a throwing error and then RBI singles from Zac Taylor, pinch hitter Jake Brown and Brayden Carter recaptured momentum.
  
• Heidelberg saw a prime opportunity with bases loaded (and just one out) in the bottom half, before the tables completely turned. A fly ball was caught in centerfield by Ryan Grant, and both runners in scoring position tagged up to advance home. After Otterbein appealed, the runner on second base was deemed to have "left early" and subsequently ruled out.
  
• Otterbein parlayed that momentum into four insurance runs in the ninth, ignited by a double from Zach Franz and the rare inside-the-park home run from Taylor. The sophomore catcher roped a laser down the left-field line and never stopped sprinting out of the box, taking advantage of a ricochet after the defensive player crashed into the wall.
  
• Those extra runs would come in handy as Heidelberg made a late push right to the wire in its final at-bat. The hosts closed to within 11-9 and had the bases loaded once again, before Sam Sethna (first college save) induced a game-ending double play to erupt his dugout.
  
• Carter and Taylor combined to hit 7 for 10 in a game that saw 29 base knocks altogether. Walter took a no-decision after executing rather nicely over 108 pitches.

GAME TWO RECAP:

• The rematch saw Otterbein plate a single run in each of the initial three innings, spearheaded by RBI from Noah Sprowls in the first and third.
  
• Heidelberg vaulted ahead in the middle innings with a trio of runs, placing the Cards in a slim 4-3 hole as the eighth inning got underway…
  
• Carter ripped a one-out single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He then hustled home for the game-tying run after Sprowls purposely kept himself alive long enough in a rundown between first and second.
  
• Sethna kept the 'Berg stifled in the bottom half to give his offense another chance, and the bats came through once again after Wolf patiently took another leadoff walk. Quincel, fresh off a Heidelberg pitching change, welcomed the new arm with not-so-open arms by catapulting a go-ahead blast to left field. It marked the eighth round tripper this year for Otterbein's shortstop, who nearly caught a turf monster and accidentally did a version of the electric slide (between first and second) while turning around to celebrate toward his bench.
  
• Sethna improved to 6-0 on the mound with a scoreless ninth, overcoming a one-out single to retire the next three Student Princes. He went the final three and now holds a 2.67 E.R.A. this spring.
  
• Jackson Peloquin took a no-decision after 82 pitches over six innings. The Cards plated six runs on seven hits, led by multi-hits showings from Carter and Sprowls.

UP NEXT:

• More critical doubleheaders await next week, as the Cardinals host midweek action against Ohio Northern and will then prepare for league-leading Baldwin Wallace to also arrive at Fishbaugh Field. Buckle up!