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Fergus Falls 15U Open LRBR play with a 2-0 victory over Ashby

By Shane Thielke, 05/31/19, 2:15PM CDT

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The Fergus Falls 15U took the diamond on Thursday night welcoming in local rival and the defending 2018 Babe Ruth State Champions from Ashby.  These two teams have had many hard fought battles and this game would prove to be no different.

The Otters got off to a shaky start in the top of the first inning when an infield hit, followed by and error and hit batsman loaded up the bases with nobody out and it looked like Ashby was going to capitalize early.   With the bases full of Arrows, Otters pitcher Carter Thielke helped himself when he snagged a sharp grounder back up the middle and quickly tossed the ball to catcher Cole Zierden who then fired down the first baseline to Kaden Conklin for a 1-2-3 double play.  On the very next pitch, a ground ball to third baseman Ben Tollerson ended the early threat.


That storyline of solid pitching and defense stayed consistent for both teams throughout the entire contest as Ashby pitcher Hunter Norby limited opportunities for Otters through three innings before giving way to relief pitcher Carter Spangler who also kept the Otters in check as the two pitchers combined for 6 solid innings of work, yielding only 3 hits through 6 innings of work.  


The only runs scored in the ballgame came in the bottom of the 5th inning when pinch hitter Taeren Holdeman drew a one out walk, followed by an errant Ashby throw on Cole Zierden’s ground ball, putting runners on second and third with one out.  Thielke then hit a ground ball between 1st and 2nd base and when the Arrow’s attempt to get the speedy Holdeman out at home failed, the Otters took the first lead of the game 1-0. The home team manufactured one more run on a Jonah Sorum sac fly, plating Zierden and giving the Otters a 2-0 lead to close out the 5th.  


Ashby did not go down without a fight as they notched their second hit of the game on an infield hit to lead off the top of the 7th, but another ground ball to Thielke started a 1-4-3 double play, thwarting any real threat. Adam King, who was stellar all night at shortstop, ended the game, charging a slow roller and making a strong throw to Conklin to secure the victory.


Thielke limited Ashby to 2 hits over 7 innings of work, walking 4 and striking out 5 Arrow hitters earning the complete game shutout on the hill.  Jonah Sorum, Andrew Johnson, and Adam King each notched hits for the Otters. The 15U Otters continue LRBR play when they hit the road to Wahpeton on Monday night.