The Fergus Falls Otters 10u baseball team took home the championship at the Pierz tournament and punched their ticket to the MSF state tournament over the weekend. The Otters beat Forest Lake 18-0, lost to Little Falls 10-6, and beat Aitkin 12-0 in pool play. The Otters then moved on to bracket play and beat Pierz 12-3 and took home the hardware by beating Long Prairie 15-4. 

In the first game against Little Falls, Brody Krein and Josh Horgen combined to pitch a no-hitter with both pitchers pitching 2 innings and striking out 5 batters each. The Otters wasted no time jumping on Forest Lake in the top of the 1st by scoring 12 runs. Benett Thielke, Luke Johnson, Tanner Donaghue, John Abrahams, Kayden Zender, Levi Budke, Easton Hanson, and Horgen all scored one run in the inning and Nolan Felstul and Krein scored 2. The Otters pushed two more runs across in the second with Donaghue, and Zender scoring, The Otters finished the scoring in the fourth with Donaghue, Zender, Budke, and Hanson all scoring. The hitting leaders for the Otters were Felstul, Krein (3b and 2b), Johnson, Donaghue, Budke, and Horgen all with two hits and Hanson with one hit. 

In the second game, the Otters tried to battle back late, but fell to Little Falls 10-6. Hitting leaders for the Otters were Felstul (2 2b’s) and Johnson (3b) with three hits and Krein with two hits. 

The Otters woke up early on Sunday morning facing a win or go home game in the last game of pool play against Aitkin. Like the first game, Krein and Horgen kept the opposing team’s bats at bay as they combined for a perfect game. Krein struck out 4 and Horgen struck out 5. The Otters jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first with Fronning and Felstul scoring. The Otters blew the game open in the third with 9 runs. Thielke, Horgen, Caleb Fronning, Felstul, Krein, Johnson, Jacob Jenc, and Kellen Funkhouser all scored. The Otters wrapped up the scoring in the fourth with Thielke scoring. Hitting leaders for the Otters were Felstul with two hits, Fronning with a triple, Horgen with a double, and Krein, Jenc, Funkhouser, Zender, and Thielke all hitting singles. 

In the semifinals, the Otters faced a 1-0 deficit going into the bottom of the first. The Otters responded by scoring 2 runs with Felstul and Krein scoring. The Otters gave themselves some breathing room in the second with Abrahams, Zender, Budke, and Hanson scoring. The Otters wrapped up the game in the fifth with Horgen, Fronning, Felstul, Jenc, Donaghue, and Funkhouser all scoring. Hitting leaders for the Otters were Felstul with three hits (3b), Funkhouser with two hits, Krein with a triple, Zender with a double, and Fronning, Johnson, Jenc, Donaghue, Abrahams, and Horgen all singling. Krein, Fronning, and Horgen all pitched in the win and held the Pierz bats in check. 

For the championship, Zender went the distance and got the win for the Otters. The Otters jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second with Donaghue, Funkhouser, and Zender scoring. The Otters tacked on 4 more in the third with Horgen, Fronning, Felstul, and Krein all scoring. The Otters left no doubt who the champions were by scoring 8 runs in the top of the fourth. Abrahams, Zender, Budke, Thielke, Fronning, Felstul, Krein, and Johnson all scored. Hitting leaders for the Otters were Krein with three hits (HR), Felstul, Johnson (2b), Donaghue, and Budke with two hits. Fronning, Jenc, Zender, Thielke, and Horgen all singled. 

The Otters hit the ball all over the ballpark in the tournament. Every player contributed to the four victories. Felstul went 12-15 for the tournament. 

“I am so incredibly proud of how these boys played this weekend in a tournament with 12 teams,” said coach Chad Felstul. “The 10u team has spent many hours practicing and it showed this weekend by winning the championship and earning a state tournament berth.” 

With the wins, the 10u Otters improve to 13-2 on the season and travel to Morris on Saturday for the “Eye of the Tiger” tournament.