Softball Game Preview: Gull Lake Blue Devils vs. Otsego Bulldogs

The Gull Lake Blue Devils will square off against the Otsego Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The timing isn't great for Gull Lake: they have been struggling with five straight losses at home dating back to last season, while Otsego has snatched up four consecutive wins on the road.

While Gull Lake's victory against Plainwell wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Blue Devils narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Trojans 8-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Blue Devils have posted since April 9, 2024.

Nine must be Otsego's lucky number: they beat Niles with that score not once but twice on Tuesday. The Bulldogs walked away with a 9-5 win over the Vikings. While the Bulldogs didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-7), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.

Cassie Holland spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than ten strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Audrey Lingbeek was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Addy Lucas, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Otsego has been performing well recently as they've won seven of their last nine matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Gull Lake, their win bumped their record up to 2-4.

Gull Lake couldn't quite finish off Otsego in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 and fell 9-7. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.