Tigers Rally For Split With Otterbein

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers stepped out of North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) action to square off with regional rival Otterbein, and the two teams settled for a doubleheader split.

Otterbein pounded out 17 hits in in the opener en route to a 7-2 victory, but Wittenberg rallied in the nightcap with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn the split with a 5-4 decision. Otterbein heads back into Ohio Athletic Conference play with an overall record of 14-18, while the Tigers are now 17-15.

In the opener, Otterbein's offense accounted for 17 hits, including 15 singles. Five of the hits came off the bat of leadoff hitter Molly Riggs as the Cardinals scored five runs (three earned) against freshman Abby Haab (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) and two more earned runs against junior Lacey Eigel (Pickerington, Ohio/North) in relief.

Sophomore Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) went 2-for-3, including a solo home run, as Wittenberg was held to four hits overall in the game.

The Cardinals picked up where they left off in Game 2, scoring twice in the first inning and another run in the third. The Tigers showed some fight, however, over the final three innings, scoring five runs to pull out a come-from-behind victory.

The rally made a winner for the first time in the 2015 season out of junior Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson), who twirled a complete-game four-hitter. She allowed four runs (three earned).

Offensively, freshman Charlee Clark (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) led the way with two hits and an RBI that tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, while junior Emma Ficke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) came up big with an RBI double. Senior Shelby Knapp (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) drove in the game-winner, as her pop-up into short right field went as a sacrifice fly that scored freshman Lindsey Blair (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes).

Written By: Ryan Maurer