NEW CONCORD, Ohio – It wasn't easy, but few baseball games within the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) usually are… especially this time of year, on the road. Such was the case for Otterbein throughout a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Muskingum, where the Cardinals pieced together a late rally for a critical sweep.

Otterbein took the opener rather comfortably (9-4) before mounting a late push in the rematch to snag a 6-5 decision… and depart with two wins. As a result, the Cards remain just one game out of second place in the OAC standings with plenty of baseball left over the remaining weeks.

GAME ONE RECAP:
The Cards benefited from eight defensive errors by Muskingum during the opener, plating an unearned run in the first and never trailing. Otterbein manufactured three in the fourth thanks to RBI from Sam Roy, Brayden Carter and Luke Barber.

Both sides traded solo homers in the middle innings, with Otterbein's coming off the bat of Sam Edgell. He leads the team and now ranks third among OAC hitters with seven bombs this season.

The lead was enough for No. 1 arm Travis Engard, making his first start since a spring-break injury forced him out five weeks. He provided 6.2 innings of quality work, allowing just three runs while striking out four and improving to a 3-0 record this spring. Fellow Grove City pal Travis Burson came on in relief of his high school teammate and went the final 2.1 of work, fanning another three in the process.

Gavin Thompson, also recently working back from an early-season injury, delivered a pinch-hit RBI single through the left side in the eighth to provide an insurance run. The rip likely had mixed feelings over in the home dugout where his father, Gregg, is the head coach for Muskingum.

The Cards played clean defensively with no errors, with Noah Sprowls contributing a multi-hit game at the dish.

GAME TWO RECAP:
The second affair wasn't quite as smooth for the Cards, who fell behind 2-0 before knotting the score in the top of the fifth. Ryan Mitchell moved the ball for an RBI groundout followed by a double to left-center from Luke Barber, which brought around Carter.

Muskingum (13-18) had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom half, but only generated one run after Braydon McCloskey induced a double-play groundout… followed by another grounder over to Carter at third.

Still, the Cards later faced a 4-2 deficit in the eighth before creating steam once again and nearly batting around. A one-out triple from Edgell got the dugout alive and the frame proceeded with a pinch-hit double by Jamie Perebak, Sprowls getting hit by a pitch, Brayden Quincel roping an RBI-single through the left side to force a pitching change, and runners moving up on a wild pitch shortly thereafter. Otterbein has the bases loaded with one out but couldn't bring the go-ahead run home… yet.

The Muskies jumped ahead 5-4 on a fielder's choice and Otterbein's back was pressed against the wall once more, down to its last at-bat in the ninth. Barber had a one-out single and Edgell delivered a good piece down to third (ruled an error) that advanced his teammate around to the same bag…

Matthew Gibson, playing near his hometown, came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and chopped an RBI groundout to secure the tying run.  On the next batter, Sprowls continued his nice day with a go-ahead RBI poke up the middle (from an 0-2 count) that brought home pinch runner Adam Folk.

Burson was called upon again, stepping back onto the mound (and into the spotlight this time) to notch his fourth save this season. He overcame a leadoff single and eventually stranded two runners, getting the final Muskie to strikeout looking with a pitch on the outside corner.

Logan Weber (5-2) was credited with the pitching win and three Cardinals had multi-hit games, led by a 3 for 5 effort from Carter. Sprowls hit 2 for 4 in both games.

SUNDAY FUNDAY:
Otterbein gets right back on the diamond Sunday afternoon with a single non-conference game just up the road at Ohio Wesleyan. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.