John Carroll held a late 2-1 lead, but the Otterbein offense took over in the final two innings in a 9-2 loss in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament opener. 

JCU (19-21) now heads to a Friday game at Fishbaugh Field in Westerville, Ohio. The game against Baldwin Wallace will take place at 12:30 p.m.

Tyler Gentile homered to left field in the fourth inning, bringing home David Crowley and giving JCU a 2-0 lead. Mark Walton drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to pull Otterbein closer. 

In the seventh, Otterbein scored three runs on two singles. In the eighth, the game broke open. Walton drove in a run with a double to left center. Tyler Kent hit his second RBI single to left field, followed by a Stephen Hernon RBI single. Finally, J.C. Gibson doubled to left, scoring Hernon and capping the score at 9-2. 

Brandon Maddern (L,6-6) allowed three runs on five hits, striking out five. In relief, Drew Vargo gave up four runs in an inning and Steven Virost gave up two in 2/3 of an inning. 

Robert Kerner improves to 7-0 after a complete-game effort in which he struck out 11 JCU batters. 

Crowley, Gentile, Patrick Keohane, Dominic Mittiga and Max Argento each recorded a hit in the loss.