The Crusaders final fumble proved to be a costly one as they turned the ball over on their own 43-yard line with 1:33 left in the game.  Otterbein quarterback Paul Stelzer then completed four-of-five passes with a seven-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Ricardo Lenhart to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game, 15-14 with 23 seconds left in the game.  Stelzer then hurdled into the end zone for the two-point conversion to make the score 17-14.

Otterbein scored its first touchdown just five minutes earlier as Stelzer engineered a 17-play, 88-yard drive, capped by a five-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Wolfe to cut the deficit to 14-9 with 5:23 to go in the game.

After a scoreless first quarter, Capital got on the board with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Rocky Pentello (Columbus/Westerville South) to Chad Stencil (Avon/Avon) for a 7-0 lead.  On Otterbein’s ensuing drive the Cardinals had a fourth and goal at the Capital one-yard line.  Capital intercepted the pass then fumbled back into the endzone for a safety to make it 7-2 at the break.

Capital scored on a 19-yard run from junior Jeremy Mulkey (Dublin/Dublin Coffman) run to make it 14-2 with 7:37 to go in the third quarter.

Capital, entering the game ranked No. 12 in the nation, suffered its first loss of the season, while Otterbein improved to 2-0 winning the first game in a newly remodeled Memorial Stadium.

Pentello finished with 208 yards passing (33-of-26), Mulkey had 58 yards on 13 carries, while wide receiver Lewis Howes (Delaware/Principia Prep, Mo.) had season-high 11 catches for 102 yards to pace the Capital offense.  Thom Hausler had nine tackles to lead a Capital defense that held Otterbein to minus-21 yards rushing, had eight quarterback sacks and an interception.

Stelzer completed 31 of 46 passes for 301 yards with Lenhart getting 11 catches for 95 yards and Wolfe grabbing 10 balls for 102 yards for Otterbein.

Capital hosts Heidelberg College in the home opener next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bernlohr Stadium.

NOTES:  Rocky Pentello is now 343 yards away from the being school's all-time leader in passing yards (6,669 - Shawn Wheeler, 1996-99) ... Pentello now has 522 career completions moving him to 10th all-time in OAC history passing Dan Larlham of Baldwin-Wallace (515).