ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mount Union's softball team split a pair of games with Otterbein -- falling 3-1 in the opener then coming back with a 3-1 win in game two -- Saturday in its Ohio Athletic Conference opener in Alliance, Ohio.

With the split, Mount Union is now 5-5-1 overall and 1-1 in the OAC, while Otterbein is 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

In game two, Otterbein took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, before Shelby Carmichael (Dalton/Dalton) walked and advanced on two wild pitches then tied the game when she was interfered with her trying to steal home.

Later in the inning, Leigh Siedlak (Westerville/Westerville South) hit a two-run home to give the Purple Raiders a 3-1 lead.

Erin Simmons (Suffield/Field) had seven strikeouts in the complete game victory for the victory.

In game one, Lizzy Snodgrass recorded her fifth win of the season for the Cardinals as she allowed only seven Mount Union hits and struck out four in the complete game win. 

Otterbein pushed a run across in the top of the first inning before Mount Union tied the game on an RBI single from Carmichael in the bottom of the inning.

The Cardinals got solo runs in the third and fourth inning to go on to the 3-1 win.

Megan Okuda (Gibsonia, Pa/Pine-Richland) had three hits and Jessica Moracz (Westlake/Westlake) two to pace the Raiders offense.  

Mount Union next plays Saturday, March 29 in an OAC series at Ohio Northern in Ada.