The Otsego Bulldogs will square off against the Wayland Wildcats at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Otsego fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Three Rivers on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 5-4.
Otsego got a good showing from Matthew Jackson, who tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Furthermore, Jackson didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April.
At the plate, Otsego saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Peyton Koenig, who went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Wayland made sure to put some runs up on the board against Ionia on Tuesday. The Wildcats were the clear victors by an 11-5 margin over the Bulldogs. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won nine games by six runs or more so far this season.
Easton Williams made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since May 3rd.
In other pitching news, Gavin Mulder looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He is becoming a predictor of Wayland's success: when he allows at most one hit the team is undefeated (and 10-16 when he doesn't).
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Trent Sikkema, who went 2-for-4 with three runs and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Wayland: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 9-15 otherwise.
Wayland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ionia only managed six hits.
Otsego has been struggling recently as they've lost 11 of their last 14 matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-16 record this season. As for Wayland, their win bumped their record up to 13-16.
Otsego might still be hurting after the 20-8 loss they got from Wayland when the teams last played back in March of 2022. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
