A great season for the Otis High School baseball team came to an end in regional, last Saturday at Merino.
The Bulldogs, the eighth seed in the 16-team regional, suffered a 10-6 loss to Stratton, the ninth seed. They finished 2024 with a 14-6 record.
Otis jumped ahead in the bottom of the second with a three-run rally. Stratton answered with two in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs scored on in the fourth and two in the fifth for a 6-2 lead.
However, it all fell apart in the final two frames, as Stratton scored three in the sixth to pull within 6-5, then put up five in the fifth. Otis could not answer in its final at-bat.
The Bulldogs lost despite getting nine hits to seven for Stratton, but they also committed three errors to just one for Stratton.
Erick Thorn had two hits with a double, one RBI and one run, Gavin Price two hits and one run, Tayte Smith one hit and one RBI, Kaleb Jones one hit, Carter Wells one hit, Paxton Davis one hit, JJ Ward one run, and Cambric Klinzmann one hit and two RBI.
Thorn, Price and Ward spent time on the hill, combining for eight strike outs, but also walking seven. Only three of Stratton’s 10 runs were earned.
Stratton met top-seed Merino in the quarterfinals later in the day, losing 15-6.
The 1A Final Four will be held today, May 16, at All-Star Park in Lakewood.
Merino will play Dove Creek, and Akron takes on Flatirons Academy. The winners of those semifianls will meet in the championship game at 3 p.m.