OTC Wins Over Wadena, Lose Two

by Coach Hendrickson

Otter Tail Central fell behind early and couldn't come back in a 9-3 loss to Breckenridge on Monday.  

Breckenridge scored on an error and a double by Carson Yaggie in the first inning.

Breckenridge scored three runs in the seventh inning.  The big inning for Breckenridge came thanks to a double by EJ Engen and a single by Andrew Etzler.

Westley Johnson earned the win for Breckenridge. He went  three innings, allowing one run, four hits, striking out two, and walking zero. Mitch Porter threw three innings, as three relievers helped Breckenridge finish off the victory.  

Cole Brandner took the loss for Otter Tail Central. He threw six and two-thirds innings, allowing nine runs, only 3 earned, 11 hits, striking out three and walking one. 

"We took a step backwards today defensively" Coach Ryan Hendrickson mentioned of his team giving up 6 unearned runs on 6 errors. "We got a lot better defensively this year, but today was maybe a step back as we have put a lot of focus on our offense lately. When we put an all around game together we will be a tough team to beat. We have been playing better lately. I’m really looking for us to finish the year out strong."

Otter Tail Central collected six hits. Kirby Lohse and Brodey Rocholl each collected multiple hits for Otter Tail Central.  Rocholl and Lohse had two hits to lead Otter Tail Central. "We are putting the ball into play now. Brodey is cutting it pretty well," Hendrickson said of Rocholl as he has had turned a corner offensively hitting a homerun and 2 hits Friday and now today having 2 more hits. 

Breckenridge had 12 hits in the game. Andrew Kram, Tommy Hiedeman, Porter and Etzler each collected multiple hits for Breckenridge.

vs Wadena

Otter Tail Central beat Wadena-Deer Creek 6-1 on Thursday.

Wadena-Deer Creek took an early lead in the first inning on a lead off single by Warren. Warren later scored after an OTC error and a SAC Fly by Dykhoff. 

Otter Tail Central took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth inning. The fourth inning was started with a Brodey Rocholl single and followed with another single this time by Cole Brandner. Rocholl was then scored on deep shot to right center field by Kirby Lohse. OTC was able to take the lead when Nic Haugen pinch ran for Lohse and scored on a throwing error of WDC.  

Coach Hendrickson said this of Nic Haugen. "Nic really showed that he is a really good teammate. He sacrificed his playing time, because of re-entry rule, to give us more speed on the bases. Because of his unselfishness we were able to take advantage of our opponents mistake. Nic is a great teammate and person, he is constantly looking for ways to improve himself; today he made his team better." 

Otter Tail Central scored four runs in the seventh inning. Daxton Olson led the inning off with a 5 pitch walk and was bunted over by Drake Larsen. 

"We have worked hard on our bunting as of late because we haven't been very good at it this year. After missing a couple bunting opportunities again today, I had to go back to what I saw this week out of Drake.  He worked really hard at his bunting this week and he laid down a beauty today," said Coach Ryan Hendrickson. Isaac Roers then reached the base path by way of a defensive error and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Brodey Rocholl then came up with a huge one-out single to right field scoring both Olson and Roers.  "I can't say enough about the leadership qualities of Brodey. Anyone who has taught or coached Brodey would say he is a great leader and teammate. And now as of late he is also swinging a very hot bat," Hendrickson mentioned, “as Rocholl has punched in 2 more hits today making that 6 hits in the last 3 games." 

Otter Tail Central also had some defensive highlights as Bennet Cameron and Max Naddy both had an Outfield Assist apiece. Bennet's assist was to Isaac Roers at the plate nailing a would be run by WDC and Max's Assist was a 8-4-6 putout as he caught a runner trying to stretch a single into a double. Cole Brander was perfect from 3rd base with all 6 of his total chances.  

Drake Larsen earned the win for Otter Tail Central. He threw seven innings, giving up one run, seven hits, and striking out two. "I saw a very confident and comfortable Drake Larsen today," Coach Hendrickson said of his pitcher. "He had great command and mental toughness today. WDC is a good hitting team with great energy in their dugout, but today we had a pitcher on a mission.  I could not be any prouder of Drake today with his physical and more so his mental game."

Ross took the loss for Wadena-Deer Creek. He went four innings, surrendering two runs, five hits, striking out one, and walking zero.

Otter Tail Central had ten hits in the game. Cole Brandner, Isaac Roers, Lohse, and Brodey Rocholl each collected multiple hits for Otter Tail Central. 

Wadena-Deer Creek collected seven hits. Justin Dykhoff and Jake Dykhoff each collected multiple hits for Wadena-Deer Creek.

vs West Central Area

Otter Tail Central fell to West Central Area 7-6 on Friday on the final play of the game. The game was tied at six with West Central Area batting in the bottom of the seventh when Tanner Bennett singled off of Brodey Rocholl, driving in Gullickson for the winning run.

Despite the loss, Otter Tail Central did collect eight hits in the high-scoring affair. Unfortunately, West Central Area had 11 hits on the way to victory.

West Central Area captured the lead in the first inning. Sam Gullickson doubled on a 1-1 count in the first inning, scoring one run.

After Otter Tail Central scored three runs in the top of the second, West Central Area answered with three of their own. Otter Tail Central scored when Andrew Weniger singled off of Mason Nibbe, driving in Bennet Cameron and Isaac Roers doubled off of Nibbe, driving in both Cameron and Andrew Weniger. Those 2 RBI's would just get Roers started on his 4 RBI night.

West Central Area then answered when there was an error, scoring one run and Trysten Gapp doubled off of Daxton Olson, driving in two runs.

OTC was able to push a couple more runs across the plate in the topside of the 5th and 6th innings. In the 5th inning, Brodey Rocholl led off with a hard hit ball through the shortstop, Brodey then stole 2nd base and was moved to 3rd on a Cole Brandner ground ball to the 2nd basemen.  Brodey was scored when Kirby Lohse hit a rocket to the centerfield fence for a double. Coach Ryan Hendrickson commented on the inning, "That was some good small ball and clutch hitting from Lohse. I really thought we were going to get this one." 

OTC then took yet another lead in the 6th inning when Drake Larsen opened things up with a 1 out walk. Larsen was then moved to third base by means of another big hit out of Weniger. "Andy has been on fire, his improvements have been outstanding!" 

Isaac Roers then capped his night off by hitting in both Larsen and Weniger for RBI's number 3 and 4 on the night when he hit a double past the centerfielder. "I’m so proud of Isaac. He had 3 hits tonight and all of those were with 2 strikes. Two strike hitting and putting the ball in play has been our major focus offensively, and Isaac really pulled through with that tonight." 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, West Central Area tied things up at six. Nathan Kaye grounded out, scoring Fernholz. Fernholz had a huge night for WCA as he had 2 singles and a big triple in the 6th inning.  Fernholz led WCA with 3 hits, 1 stolen base, 3 runs scored, yet had 0 RBI. 

Teigen Moritz earned the win for West Central Area. He went two and a third innings, surrendering three runs, two hits, and striking out three. Brodey Rocholl took the loss for Otter Tail Central. He tossed one and one-third innings, giving up two runs, four hits, and walking zero.

Olson started the game for Otter Tail Central. He pitched five innings, allowing five runs, seven hits, striking out one, and walking one. "Daxton really gave us a good chance of winning this game. Despite only having 2 errors, we didn't play very well on the defensive side of the ball with executing some little things."  Nibbe started the game for West Central Area. He went three innings, allowing three runs, four hits, and walking one.

Roers, Weniger, and Bennet Cameron each collected multiple hits for Otter Tail Central. Cameron, Weniger, and Roers each collected two hits to lead Otter Tail Central. "Offensively we are coming around.  With the way the weather has been on practice days, we have been able to really focus offensively with our indoor facilities, but now we have to pick up our defense again, which can be a real grind in the spring."

Caden Fernholz, Gullickson, and Tanner Bennett each collected multiple hits for West Central Area. Gapp went 1-for-3 at the plate as he led the team with two runs batted in.