Bulldogs edge Hornets 3-2 in nine innings

Photo by Chad Koenen
With a light rain falling from the sky, Noah Link sends a strike to the batter during Otter Tail Central’s non-conference game against Frazee on Monday night.

The Otter Tail Central Bulldogs took Monday’s game in dramatic fashion, with a 3-2 walk-off victory over Frazee Hornets at Tony Kawlewski Baseball Field in Henning. The game was tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning when Owen Harig led off the inning by being hit with a pitch. Gavin Pausch followed with a bunt, before Kale Misegades walked, Lane Dilly singled past the third baseman and Soren Floden had the winning single with the bases loaded one out, scoring Harig from third. 

Both teams were strong on the mound. OTC pitchers struck out nine, while Frazee sat down four

A single by Chandler Ullrich put Frazee Hornets on the board in the top of the second.

Ayden Olson singled, which helped OTC tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second scoring Lane Dilly.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Noah Link singled, scoring Kale Misegades.

Drew Mekalson doubled on an 0-2 count, which helped Frazee tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh.

Owen Harig connects with a pitch during Thursday’s Park Region Conference game against New York Mills. The game was suspended in the fifth inning with New York Mills leading by a score of 8-1.

Dilly earned the win for the Bulldogs and he surrendered two hits and one runs over three innings. Dilly struck out four and walked none. 

Drew Mekalson took the loss in relief for Frazee Hornets. He went 1 2/3 innings, surrendering one run on two hits, striking out none and walking two. 

Noah Link stepped on the mound first for OTC as he surrendered four hits and two runs (one earned over six innings, striking out five and walking six. Karson Krause started on the mound for Frazee Honets  and gave up eight hits and two runs (one earned) over six and two-thirds innings, striking out four and walking four.

Kale Misegades throws a strike to a New York Mills hitter last week.

“I love watching our guys play baseball. I love the scrappiness and willingness to get dirty and play team baseball. Playing in conditions like today is not easy, but not one guy complained about weather or conditions, they just went out and played ball,” said head coach Ryan Hendrickson. “Noah gave us a great start on the mound. Noah was able to keep a good Frazee team off balance and gave our defense a chance to help him out. Lane came in as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the seventh inning. After playing in the field through those conditions and then being asked to close a game had to be tough. We know we can count on Lane to be a Bulldog and that’s what he gave us.  We could tell a little that Lane wasn’t quite 100 percent warm in the seventh, but he was nasty in the eighth and ninth.  Soren Floden had a great game both Offensively and defensivly. Soren must have had 5 one hop picks at first base, he had 2 hits and the game winning RBI.” 

“This was a fun game, the conditions were pretty ugly, but the game itself was pretty awesome.  I am proud of this team, looking forward to some battles through May,” said Floden.

OTC amassed 10 hits in the game with Dilly leading the way with three hits in four at bats. Link, Olson, and Floden each drove in one run for OTC. Misegades collected two hits for OTC in four at bats. 

Wednesday

Eric Fick was dominant on the hill, as he rang up 11 strikeouts in OTC’s 3-1 victory over Sebeka Trojans on Wednesday. Fick gave up three hits and one run over seven innings while only walking one. 

“Eric was really dealing today.  His Fastball was heavy and off-speed was nasty!”

Sebeka opened the scoring in the fourth after Brayden Brinkman singled, scoring one run.

OTC made the score 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Owen Harig led off with a fly ball to the catcher for a fly out. Gavin Pausch drew a walk, then stole to second base. Kale Misegades singled, moving Pausch to third base. With one out and a man on first and third, Lane Dilly scored Pausch on a squeeze bunt play. Now, with one scored and one on base and two outs, Soren Floden took a wo strike fastball over the left field fence for a two-run homerun.  

“The fourth inning was bulldog baseball. We love to be aggressive and then Floden came up big with that homerun, it really sparked us,” said assistant coach Dakota Aeling.

Floden drove the middle of the lineup, leading OTC with two runs batted in. The infielder went 1-for-3 on the day. Harig, Floden and Misegades each collected one hit for OTC. 

“We were able to turn two more double plays today, we had a 6-4-3 and a 5-4-3.  As an infielder we take a lot of pride in making big plays for our pitcher, and we were able to again today,” said Misegades.  

In their second game of the day, OTC defeated Wadena-Deer Creek by a score of 6-1

OTC opened the scoring in the bottom of the second thanks to some Bulldog small ball. Noah Link opened the bottom of the second inning off earning a walk on balls, Conner Thompson Bunted Link over to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Ayden Olson then tried to bunt for a base, he moved the runner to third base in a fielder’s choice out. Eric Fick drew a walk. Owen Harig scored Link with a single to left field and Fick later scored on a wild pitch good heads up baserunning play.  

“We are really tough when we are on the bases, we try to make every runner count. Today we were able to manufacture some big runs,” said Lane Dilly. 

WDC answered back in the fourth with a run of their own making the score 3-1 Bulldogs. 

The Bulldogs were able to put up three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ayden Olson started off the inning with a single. Harig hit a single to left field. After a wild pitch the Bulldogs had runners on second and third base. Gavin Pausch laid a perfect RBI Squeeze bunt scoring Harig. Kale Misegades then Squeeze bunted for a hit scoring another run. Dilly hit an RBI groundout to the right side. 

Dilly earned the win for OTC as he allowed six hits and one run (zero earned) over seven innings, striking out seven and walking one. 

Connor Dutke took the loss for WDC as he four innings, surrendering six runs (three earned) on six hits, striking out one and walking three. 

“I love this kid. He is such a fighter and has a bulldog attitude. He was awesome today. Anytime things got tough he either struck the kid out or rolled him over into a ground out. The Bulldogs were fun to watch today,” said assistant coach Randy Misegades. 

Noah Link and Kale Misegades each collected two hits for OTC. Pausch, Dilly and Misegades each drove in one run for OTC.