B-W Football Team Defeats Otterbein, 27-21 For Second Straight OAC Victory

WESTERVILLE, OHIO --  Junior running back Tyler Lohr (Kent/Roosevelt) led the Yellow Jackets with a career-high three touchdowns as the Baldwin-Wallace College football team defeated host Otterbein University, 27-21, tonight (Saturday, October 8, 2011) in an Ohio Athletic Conference game in Memorial Stadium.

Lohr paced the Yellow Jackets with 28 carries for 123 yards and the three touchdowns.  He added one reception out of the backfield for eleven yards.  This is the third-career 100-yard plus rushing game (124, 123, 112) and Lohr's second straight of the season. 

With their victory, the Yellow Jackets improved to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the OAC. The loss drops the Cardinals to 1-4 overall and 0-4 in the OAC.  The score was tied 7-7 after one quarter, 20-14 at halftime and 27-21 after three quarters.

B-W got on the scoreboard first after Lohr capped a seven-play, 48-yard drive with a three yard touchdown run with 10:43 remaining in the first quarter.  On the drive, Lohr carried the ball five times for 23 yards and junior quarterback Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) completed a key 15-yard third-down conversion to sophomore wide receiver Josiah Holt (Grafton/Midview).  Sophomore kicker Chris Mohler (Kent/Roosevelt) tacked on the extra point to make the score, 7-0.

The Cardinals responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from Austin Schlosser to Steve Kuzyk at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter.  Placekicker Aaric Milligan added the extra point to tie the contest up at 7-7. 

Otterbein then capitalized on a Yellow Jacket turnover when they took its first lead of the game after Schlosser tossed his second touchdown of the evening, a 14-yard strike to tight end Gabe Shively.  Milligan converted the extra point to extend the Cardinal's lead to 14-7.

B-W responded when Lohr rushed for his second touchdown of the night as he punched the ball into the endzone from 11-yards out at the 6:14 mark of the second quarter.  The score remained, 14-13, after a missed extra point.

The Yellow Jackets then put together a nine-play, 59-yard drive with 1:12 remaining in the second quarter to regain the lead.  Lohr scored his third touchdown of the game after he scampered 11 yards to give B-W the lead back.  Mohler added on the extra point to take a 20-14 lead into halftime. 

Otterbein opened up the scoring in the second half when Schlosser threw his third touchdown of the game, a 68-yard strike to Trey Fairchild, to tie the game up, 20-20.  Milligan then added the extra point as the Cardinals regained the lead, 21-20.

The Yellow Jackets bounced back to retake the lead following an five-yard O' Rourke touchdown pass to sophomore WR Mike McGervey (Canton/St. Thomas Aquinas) for his first career reception and touchdown.  During the drive, B-W leaned on the shoulders of Lohr as he carried the ball six times for 53 yards, including four straight runs over ten yards.  Mohler followed up with his third extra point of the game to make the score, 27-21. 

In addition to Lohr offensively, O'Rourke completed 18-of-29 passes to eight different receivers for 230 yards and one touchdown.  Sophomore WR Gabe Adams (Hudson) caught the ball four times for 96 yards.   The defense was led by senior linebacker Brett Thompson (Shelby) with eight tackles and one tackle-for-loss. 

Otterbein was led by Schlosser as he went 26-of-38 for 350 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.  Fairchild led the Cardinals with nine catches for 154 yards and one score.  Shane Centers paced the Otterbein defense with nine tackles and one tackle-for-loss. 

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, October 15 when they host Ohio Northern University in their annual Homecoming Game at 2:00 p.m.  It will be the second of three home games televised by SportsTime Ohio.

FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.