OTC to travel to Parkers Prairie Thursday, Border West on Friday

While Grace Thorpe looks on, Hannah Hexum slides in safely at home after the Sebeka catcher drops the ball at the plate.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Otter Tail Central Bulldogs made their long-awaited regular season opener on Thursday night and dropped a pair of games to the Sebeka Trojans. 

Abbi Godding attempts to throw out a runner at second base during last week’s regular season opener against the Trojans.

In the opening game of the day, the Bulldogs took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Abbi Godding connected with a two out single that brought Jadia Koehn across the plate. Unfortunately, the Trojans scored three runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning on a passed ball, error and sacrifice fly and added a fourth run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a fielder’s choice to take a 4-1 lead. 

OTC cut into the lead a bit when Hannah Hexum scored on a wild pitch and had runners on second and third when Godding connected with a one out double to leave her and Aubrey Hexum on second and third base. They were stranded at second and third when the next two hitters struck out swinging and OTC went down in order in the top of the seventh inning to end the game by a score of 4-2. 

Sia Olson applies a tag to a Sebeka base runner during the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday night.

OTC outhit the Trojans by a 6-2 margin with Hannah Hexum and Godding each coming away with a pair of hits.

Sophie Akerman took the loss in the circle as she went all six innings and gave up two hits, four earned runs, walked six and struck out six. 

In the nightcap, Sebeka took advantage of eight OTC errors and scored runs in bunches as the Trojans came away with a 14-7 win. The Trojans scored six runs in the first inning, two runs in both the second and fifth innings, three in the third and one in the fourth inning. 

OTC scored one run in both the first and fourth innings, but had a big inning of their own in the bottom of the third inning when they came away with five runs and trailed just 8-7 heading into the top of the fifth inning. The big inning for the Bulldogs included a two-run double by Kenady Cameron, a run on a passed ball and two runs from errant Sebeka throws. 

Cameron led the way offensively for the Bulldogs as she went 2-4 with three RBIs, while she also started the game for the Bulldogs and went 1 2/3 innings and gave up three hits eight runs of which just one was earned, walked five and struck out two. Grace Thorpe pitched four innings and gave up three hits, five runs of which two were earned, walked sixth and struck out six and Akerman took the loss going 1 1/3 innings give up no hits, one unearned run, walked two and struck out one. 

This week the Bulldogs will host Parkers Prairie on Thursday night, before heading to Wheaton on Friday to take on Border West. 

AB R H     BI

Brianna Bunkowski 2 2 0 0

Sophie Akerman 1 2 0 0

Sia Olson 3 0 0 0

Kenady Cameron 4 1 2 3

Emma Dirkman 3 1 1 0

Jaida Koehn 4 0 1 1

Hannah Hexum 1 1 0 0

Grace Thorpe 2 0 0 0

Abbi Godding 3 0 0 0

HITTING- 2B- Kenady Cameron

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Kenady Cameron 1.2-3-8-1-5-2, Grace Thorpe 4.0-3-5-2-6-6, Sophie Akerman 1.1-0-1-0-2-1

AB R H     BI

Brianna Bunkowski 2 0 0 0

Sophie Akerman 4 0 0 0

Sia Olson 3 0 0 0

Kenady Cameron 4 0 1 0

Emma Dirkman 3 0 0 0

Jadia Koehn 2 1 0 0

Hannah Hexum 3 1 2 0

Aubrey Hexum 2 0 1 0

Zoie Hochstein 0 0 0 0

Abbie Godding 3 0 2 1

HITTING- 2B- Abbie Godding

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Sophie Akerman 6.0-2-4-4-6-6