During the stretch, the 12U Otters traveled to Nelson, playing an Alexandria team and sweeping the host team 8-2 and 11-9.  Strong pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting helped the Otters as they were starting to gain their rhythm in the field and at the plate.  

In mid July, a Detroit Lakes team came to Fergus Falls and ran into a hot Otter lineup.  The only home games of the season saw the Otters winning 16-0 and 24-2 in the nightcap.  The home team pounded out 15 hits in game one and 21 hits in game two with the big blast coming from Rowan Cheshire as he belted a home run deep over the fence, putting the final stamp on a solid night of baseball. 

This past weekend, the 12U Otters competed in the Fargo NIT 12U AA tournament in Fargo going 2-1 on the weekend.  The Otters opened up against the Kindred Vikings and jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Otters added one more run in the second before opening the game up in the third and fourth innings with 9 more runs, securing the 14-4 victory.  Jackson Conklin and Cam Weiderich provided the battery on the mound, scattering 7 hits and 1 earned run over 4 innings.  The Otters pounded out 14 hits en route to the victory.  Cam Weiderich went 3 for 3 at the plate.

The second game of the tournament matched the Otters up against a West Fargo team and the pitching remained solid and the bats stayed hot as the Otters once again put up 4 runs in the first inning.  The Otters sent out six different pitchers and held the West Fargo hitters in check for the majority of the ball game, yielding only 4 hits and 5 earned runs.  The 12U lineup pounded out 15 more hits with every Otter notching at least one hit in the contest and the big bats of Rowan Cheshire (3 for 3) and Hunter Powers (1-3) each hit a home run in the contest.  Powers took the non-traditional route of a line drive down the right field line and he legged out an in the park home-run, and Cheshire once again pounded a towering home run deep into the Fargo twilight, clearing the 225 foot fence with ease.  When the dust finally settled, the Otters took home the 14-5 victory, leaning into Championship Saturday.

Saturday’s win or go home bracket play matched the Otters up against a solid baseball team from Holdingford.  The Otters tallied single runs in the first two innings and held a 2-0 advantage until Holdingford put up 2 of their own in the top of the 4th inning.  The Otters answered and added a run, regaining the lead, only to see Holdingford put up 2 more in the top of the 5th.  The game was intense through the late innings and with the Otters trailing by 1 run, they were down to their last out in the button the the 6th inning when Hunter Powers flexed his muscle and knocked a no doubt home run over the right center field fence, giving the Otters new life going into extra innings.  Playing the California tie-breaker rules, each team added a run in the 7th, but in the 8th inning Holdingford added another run, and the Otters were unable to mount a 3rd comeback and fell 6-5 in a very exciting and well played baseball game.  Ethan Swedberg threw a gem, going 4 innings allowing only 2 hits and 2 earned runs, striking out 4.  Powers and Micah Johnson came on in relief, allowing only 3 hits over the final 3 innings of play. 

The 12U Otters are 7-4 on the season and face a Detroit Lakes team in Richville this Wednesday.