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OTC falters late, 8-7 [UPDATED]
Published 10:50am Friday, May 18, 2012 Updated 11:08am Friday, May 18, 2012BATTLE LAKE — The Otter Tail Central Bulldogs thought they had the game wrapped up against the visiting Staples-Motley Cardinals, but a three-run seventh inning dashed the victory celebration as they dropped the game 8-7.
The game was a back and forth battle between the two teams.
OTC looked to wrap up the game with a 7-5 lead in the seventh, but the wheels fell off the wagon as the Cardinals took a walk, hit two singles, exploited an OTC error and stole home.
“This was a tough loss to handle,” Bulldogs’ Coach Steve Bradsteen said. “We had a two run lead going into the seventh inning but couldn’t hold the lead.”
OTC’s Vinnie Otake continued to crush the ball going 3 for 4 with three RBI, two runs scored and a two-run homerun, his third of the year.
Teammates Collin Teich and Zane Lind each had a pair of hits in the loss.
Zach Torgerson took the loss for the Bulldogs as he went the distance on the mound.
“Torg pitched a very solid game for us on a very windy afternoon. A pitching change was pondered but Torg had that Bulldog mentality and wanted the ball and I wanted to reward him for his tenacity. Despite the loss of the lead in the seventh, we still had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. We left eleven base runners stranded in the game. We just couldn’t get any clutch hitting today,” added Bradsteen.
The Bulldogs will look to end the regular season on a good note as they host Parkers Prairie on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
