Only once have the Otterbein Cardinals softball team even gone to the OAC tournament, but this year is different. The 2016 edition of the Cardinals have dominated the league to the extent that they have clinched the number one seed in the OAC tournament with four games left in conference play.
It will be the first time that the Cardinals host the OAC softball tournament, but it will come with high expectations. Otterbein defeated Wilmington 3-0 and 8-2 April 20 to improve to 27-3-2 overall and 14-0 in the OAC. Second place Ohio Northern, whom the Cardinals defeated 5-0 and 5-1, sit at 9-5 in the OAC.
The team found out before the games with the Quakers that they had moved into the top-25 for the first time in school history. Otterbein opened the day ranked 21st nationally, and the team didn't disappoint in their first games as a ranked team.
In game one against Wilmington, sophomore pitcher Rachael Owens continued her mastery of conference opponents as she twirled a three-hit shutout. All the offense Owens needed came in the third inning off the bat of sophomore left-fielder Bailey McElwain who hit a towering two-run home run to center field. It was her seventh of the year, which surpassed the old school record of six.
Of breaking the home run record McElwain was surprised, "I didn't really know I was about to break the record, my parents told me after the game. When I am up there hitting, I never put pressure to hit a home run, I am focusing on getting a single and the home runs just come."
Not to be overlooked, Owens reached some school marks of her own, as she recorded her school record tying 15th win of the year, and the shutout also matched the school record of six. She dropped her season ERA down to 1.42, which is just .02 off the school record of 1.40.
Owens gives all the credit for her success to her teammates behind her, "I could not have done any of it without my teammates. They've had my back through thick and thin and I wouldn't trade them for the world."
Since then, the Cardinals split with Mount Union in Alliance, losing game one 7-5 and winning game two 13-6. The team is now 28-4-2 and 15-1 in the OAC. They moved up one spot in the rankings to 20.
As the season progresses towards the OAC tournament, and potentially the NCAA tournament, the team could break other individual records as well. The team will play Heidelberg at home on Saturday to close out the regular season.
