Otter Tail Central 15U Raptors snagged a late lead and defeated Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 19-9 on Monday. The game was tied at eight with OTC batting in the bottom of the fifth when Owen Harig singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring two runs.

Wheaton/Herman-Norcross scored five runs in the fifth inning, but OTC still managed to pull out the victory. The big inning for Wheaton/Herman-Norcross came thanks to an error on a ball put in play by Tyler Groebmer and Dylan Pryzmus and a single by Kyle Kramer.

In the first inning, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross got their offense started. Noah Adelman drove in one when Adelman tripled.

After Wheaton/Herman-Norcross scored one run in the top of the fourth, the Raptors answered with one of their own. Wheaton/Herman-Norcross scored when Kaleb Hammes induced Holden Rinke to hit into a fielder’s choice, but one run scored. OTC then answered when Hammes drew a walk, scoring one run.

Hammes led things off on the pitcher’s mound for the Raptors. The righthander allowed seven hits and seven runs over four innings, striking out five.  Owen Harig picked up the win in relief, going two innings allowing 4 hits and 2 runs.

Soren Floden and Harig each had multiple hits for OTC 15U Raptors as Floden went 4-for-5 at the plate. 

“It wasn’t a pretty win, but a win is a win. We battled at the end to put Wheaton down,” said coach Evan Meece. “We’ll build off this momentum moving forward.”

Friday/Saturday

The OTC 15U team hosted its first annual Father’s Day Tournament at Tony Kawlewski Field on Friday and Saturday.  Teams in action included Staples-Motley, Frazee, and DGF.  

Staples-Motley won the championship going 3-0, while the other three teams all finished 1-2. OTC lost to Staples-Motley in the opener on Friday night and defeated DGF in the nightcap on Saturday night.  

Game 1 Friday night

Friday’s game against Staples-Motley was a heartbreaker for the OTC 15U Raptors, as they lost the lead late in a 14-6 defeat. Staples-Motley trailed 6-5 in the top of the sixth inning when Griffin Bettis tripled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring three runs.

Despite the loss, the Raptors did collect seven hits in the high-scoring affair. Unfortunately, Staples-Motley had 12 hits on the way to victory.

OTC took the lead in the first inning when an error scored one run.

The Raptors notched three runs in the fifth inning thanks to a single by Drew Evavold.

Conner Thompson took the loss for OTC as he allowed one hit and four runs.

Garrett Kuhn-Rice started the game for OTC and surrendered three runs on six hits over five and a third innings, striking out two

The Raptors had seven hits in the game with Evavold and Soren Floden collecting two hits to lead the way.

Game 2 Saturday vs Frazee

Despite an 8-run deficit in the seventh inning, OTC almost came all the way back, eventually falling 12-11 to Frazee on Saturday. The Raptors scored six runs in the failed comeback on a walk by Eric Fick, a walk by Garrett Kuhn-Rice, a single by Isaac Fyhrie, a walk by David Patterson and a double by Kale Misegades.

The Raptors tallied seven runs in the seventh inning. OTC’s big bats in the inning were led by walks by Fick, Kuhn-Rice and Patterson, a single by Fyhrie, and a double by Misegades.

Frazee scored five runs in the third inning. Asher Blaine, Zitzow, Jack Graham, and Westin Aschnewitz all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Teddy Grabe took the loss for OTC as he allowed six hits and eight runs over three innings, striking out three.

Patterson, Fick, Soren Floden, Grabe, Misegades, and Fyhrie each collected one hit to lead the Raptors.

Game 3 Saturday night vs DGF

The OTC 15U Raptors put up nine runs in the first on its way to a 14-4 victory over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Saturday. The Raptors put the pressure on, lead by singles by Soren Floden, Garrett Kuhn-Rice, Kaleb Hammes, and Floden and a double by Drew Evavold.

OTC fired up the offense in the first inning, when Floden singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.

Hammes took the win for OTC as he lasted five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out six.

The Raptors collected 13 hits on the day. Floden and Collin Lukken all managed multiple hits for OTC 15U Raptors. Floden went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the way.

The tournament moves OTC to 5-4 on the year.  They will travel to Urbank next Saturday, June 26 to face league rival Parkers Prairie.