In the opening game on Friday afternoon the #2 Seeded Fergus Falls faced #3 seeded PRBA.  The Otters jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first and kept the game in check as they finished with an 11-7 victory.  Jackson Conklin earned the win on the mound going 3 innings before giving the ball to Cam Weiderich and Jacob Fronning in the bullpen.   Fronning led the Otters at the plate going 3 for 4, leading the 7 hit attack with Micah Johnson (1-3, BB), Hunter Powers (1-2, 2BB), Isaiah Holmes (1-2, BB) and Rowan Cheshire (1-2, 2BB) adding hits in the game.

In the semi-final game on Saturday, the Otters faced the #1 seeded OTC Bulldogs who handed the Otters their only loss of  the season in early June with a one run victory in league play.  The semi-final game was as expected as both teams displayed strong pitching and defense until the Otters broke loose with a 4 run 4th inning and took a 5-0 lead.  The Otters added needed insurance runs in the late innings taking a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th.   OTC would not go down quietly, adding 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th and with the bases loaded and the winning run at the plate, the Otters secured the final out and a guaranteed slot in the District Championship and a berth to the 13U Babe Ruth State Tournament.  Micah Johnson earned the victory going 5 ⅔ innings on the mound and holding the OTC Bulldogs to 1 run (unearned) as he struck out 6 Bulldogs and limited them to 3 hits.  Hunter Powers came in relief to hold on for the victory.  Rowan Cheshire (2-4) and Holden Stenstrom (2-3) each had 2 hits in the game while Parker Thielke (1-2, 2 BB), Micah Johson (1-4), Hunter Powers (1-3), and Quinn Wynn Sheldon (1-2, BB) contributed to the Otters 8 hit attack.

Championship Sunday was a marathon as OTC defeated Breckenridge in the morning game, earning a shot at revenge versus the Otters.  Fergus Falls was in the driver’s seat, with OTC needing to take them down twice in order to win the Championship.  This game proved to be similar to the first two match-ups as Fergus Falls took an early 4-0 lead over OTC, and as the game progressed, OTC took advantage of opportunities putting up 1 run in the bottom of the second 3 runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game 4-4.  OTC plated one more run in fifth and held on for the 5-4 victory, handing the Otters only their second loss of the season, (both by one run to the OTC Bulldogs) forcing a second and final championship game.  Fergus Falls' traditionally strong offense was held to 3 hits with Micah Johnson (1-3, BB, RBI), Jacob Fronning (1-3, RBI) and Parker Thielke (1-2, BB, RBI) each notching hits in the contest.  Jackson Conklin and Jacob Fronning both toed the rubber for the Otters.  Conklin gave up 4 runs in 2 ⅔ innings and Fronning took the hard luck loss, going 3 ⅓ innings and one earned run.

In the winner take all Championship game, OTC stretched their bench and their bullpen in their 3rd game of the day and their 5th game of the weekend.  The Otters sent a fresh Rowan Cheshire to the mound and he did not disappoint, going 6 strong innings, striking out 8 OTC Bulldogs, allowing only 1 hit, and 1 run (unearned) in the process.  The Otters offense put the ball in play with some timely hitting and took advantage of 5 OTC miscues as they put up 3 runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings for an early 6-0 lead and an eventual 10-1 victory, and 13U LRBR Tournament Championship.  Rowan Cheshire and Isaiah Holmes led the offensive attack with 2 hits apiece while Parker Thielke (1-3, BB), Jackson Conklin (1-3) and Jacob Fronning (1-3, BB) each added a hit enroute to their 20th win of the season heading into the 13U Babe Ruth State Tournament.

Head Coach Shane Thielke commented, “Overall we succeeded with what we set out to do by winning this tournament and getting to 20 wins.  We did not hit the ball as well this weekend as we have throughout the season but we did enough to get the job done.  At the beginning of the season, this was one of our goals and I am so proud of this team for accomplishing step one, now our next goal is to perform well at the state tournament and make it out of pool play into the championship bracket.  We face Park Rapids Thursday night in New York Mills and I can not wait to see how these boys do this coming weekend!"

The 13U Otters are coached by Shane Thielke, Dave Saggerhorn, and Ryan Johnson.