BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball lost an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader to rival Otterbein University in the first games played on the new Pro Grass turf infield at Fisher Field. The Cardinals won the opener, 12-4, and the nightcap, 6-4.

In the opener, Otterbein (16-5, 2-2 OAC) scored twice in the top of the first inning and BW (8-13, 2-2 OAC) countered with one in the bottom of the first and the Cardinals led, 2-1. Otterbein came right back with an eight-run second to build a 10-1 advantage. The Yellow Jackets scored once in the bottom of the second and fourth innings to cut the deficit to 10-3. After Otterbein scored in the top of the seventh, BW scored its run in the bottom of the frame. The Cardinals final run came in the ninth.

On the mound, senior four-time All-OAC right-handed pitcher Mark Zimmerman (Akron/ Green) pitched the first inning and one-third before being chased from the mound. His record dropped to 4-2 this season. He was followed by senior Paul Szabo (Richmond Heights/ NDCL) in the second, senior Matt Wittels (Lyndhurst/ Brush) in the third and sophomore Brandon Wysong (Bradford) in the eighth. Wittels pitched a solid five innings, allowed two hits and one run (earned), struck out four and walked one Cardional batter. Wysong also tossed two hitless and scoreless innings and whiffed one.

At the plate, Zimmerman, junior All-OAC second baseman Cole Nieto (Brunswick/ Cleveland St. Ignatius) and freshman rightfielder Reese Albright (North Royalton) each had two hits. Zimmerman was 2-for-4 with a run batted-in (RBI). Nieto was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored and an RBI. Albright was 2-for-5 with a run scored.

In the nightcap, Otterbein scored two runs in each of the first two innings and added two more in the fourth for a 6-0 lead. BW cut the Cardinal lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Jackets continue to fight from behind and scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to cut Otterbein's advantage to 6-4.

On the mound, senior All-OAC right-hander Alex Albright (North Royalton) pitched the first three and one-third innings and took the loss to fall to 3-3 this season. He was followed by senior Connor Murphy (Westford, Mass./ Northeast) in the fourth. He pitched five scorelerss innings, allowed just two hits, struck out two and walked two. In the ninth, sophomore Evan Lovick (Mentor) replaced Murphy with runners on first and second with one out and induced a double-play grounder.

At the plate, freshman OF Reese Albright had two more base hits and drove in a run.

BW is back in action on Wednesday, April 6, when it hosts Denison University at Fisher Field in a single game at 3:30 p.m. The Jackets end the week on Saturday, April 9 when they travel to OAC baseball arch-rival Marietta College for an OAC twinbill at Don Schaly Stadium. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

Fans are reminded that the official dedication ceremony for Fisher Field will take place on Saturday, April 23 at 12 noon and prior to BW's Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader versus Capital University. The first game begins at 1 p.m.