ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Mount Union baseball team swept Otterbein in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) showdown at home on Saturday.
 
In game one, Otterbein (18-7, 4-2 OAC), who was receiving national votes, led 3-2 in top of the third inning, however, Mount Union (17-6, 4-2 OAC) outscored the Cardinals 5-0 for the rest of the game. Mount Union had a 14-8 hit advantage. Graduate Zack Mazza (Flint, Mich. / Powers Catholic) had a double and a sacrifice fly. Freshman Luke Ickes (Green, Ohio / Green) went 3 for 4 with an RBI, a run, and drew a walk. Junior Zachary Breeden (Cincinnati, Ohio / Cincinnati Elder) improved to 2-2 on the mound, pitching eight innings, giving up three runs off eight hits, striking out four and walking two. Junior Brady Hansen (Beaver, Pa. / Beaver Area) earned the save after sealing the win in the ninth. With two on and no outs, Hansen forced a double play and had a strikeout.
 
In the nightcap, the Cardinals seemed in control with a 6-0 lead with only three innings of play left. The Purple Raiders, however, rallied with seven unanswered runs, capped off with the game-winning single in the eighth by senior Jaired Lehman (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway) – scoring classmate Andrew Witte (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor). Junior Alex Stegman (Berea, Ohio / Berea-Midpark) went 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs and a run. Stegman was one of four Raiders with an extra-base hit. Hansen earned the win, improved to 5-0 on the season, after coming in for relief with two hitless innings and four strikeouts.
 
Mount Union is next scheduled for a doubleheader at No. 2-nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace on Wednesday, April 10 with game one starting at 1 p.m.