WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein University (8-4) picked up its second-straight series sweep of Kenyon College (12-6) on Sunday at Rike Field in a non-conference doubleheader. The Cardinals won 3-0 in the opener before invoking the run rule in game two during an 11-3 victory.
GAME ONE
Otterbein pitcher Gabby Johnson improved to 4-0 in the circle as she shut out the Ladies for the first time this season. Kenyon batters were struck out a season-high 10 times and managed just three hits.
After a lead-off single was allowed to
Madi Maldonado in the first, Johnson retired 13 of the next 14 batters. Six of those outs were by strikeout. During that span, the Cardinals found all the run support it needed.
In the second, Katrina Wierzbicki smacked a solo home run to center. Two frames later, Otterbein added two more. Erin Vondewell and Rachael Owens tallied singles early in the inning which prompted a Kenyon pitching change. Four batters later, Courtney Hackney delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field.
Down 3-0, the Ladies were retired in order in the fifth. Then in the sixth,
Nicole Horita doubled and stole third. Kenyon had just one out; however, Johnson struck out
Amanda Coyle and Maldonado ending the Ladies' first scoring chance.
In the final inning,
Emily Buckwalter registered a single down the right-field line. After that though, the Cardinals got a strikeout and groundout to end the game.
Keely Sweet took the loss in the circle while
Austen Whibley made her first appearance of the season.
GAME TWO
Maldonado once again led off the game with a hit, this one a two-bagger to center field. Two batters later, Buckwalter drove her in with a sacrifice fly.
The 1-0 deficit was quickly erased, though, by Otterbein's offense. Alyson Shaw singled, stole second, and two batters later, Wierzbicki drove her in on a RBI groundout. Near the end of the frame, Bailey McElwain doubled to right field plating two more.
Following a scoreless second, Otterbein added its fourth run after an outfield error. The 4-1 advantage was ballooned to 7-1 in the fourth highlighted by Wierzbicki's two-run homer to right center.
Kenyon showed a little fight to cut the deficit to 7-3 in the fifth.
Grace Pilz doubled to left center and
Nicole Horita followed with a homer to right center. The Ladies brought two more batters to the plate but nothing would come across.
The Cardinals added a run in the home half of the fifth before closing the game in the sixth. Megan Garner registered an RBI double while Courtney Hackney connected with a single to left field plating McElwain for the final tally.
It was the most runs given up this season by the Ladies as
Jace Juliano took the loss going 2.1 innings and allowing four runs. Offensively, Kenyon really struggled hitting .159 in the doubleheader.
Kenyon will look to rebound on March 22 when it hosts Capital University (2-10) for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
