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Andover 2, Chisago Lakes 1

Coming off their first state tournament appearance since they were revived in 2014, the Bulldogs upped their pre-playoff schedule from to 40 games this season.  They were scheduled to start April 28th, which would have been their earliest game ever, but the game against Champlin Park was rained out.  So, they opened the season on Sunday, May 5 against the Andover Aces at the Andover High School field.

The game turned out to be a pitcher’s duel.  With the game tied 1-1, the Aces scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of eighth and held off the Bulldogs in the ninth to win the game 2-1.  Hunter Lindstrom started for the Bulldogs and went six innings.  He allowed one unearned run on five hits, walked one and struck out three.  Noah Couwenhoven tossed two innings of relief and took the loss.  He allowed one unearned run one two hits, walked none, and struck out two.

With the game still scoreless in the top of the sixth, Nate Zingerman singled with one out.  New Bulldog Brendan Hemr pinch hit for Collin Hackl and, in his first plate appearance as a Bulldog, lined a triple to left center to drive in Zingerman to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the sixth, Lindstrom walked the first batter and hit the second to put runners on first and second.  The next batter lined to short, followed by a fly out to center.  The next batter lined a single to left.  An error by left fielder Hemr allowed a run to score and another runner to move up to third, tying the game at 1-1.  The first pitch to the next batter got past Bulldog catcher Adam Brown and went all the way to the backstop.  Brown raced after the ball, grabbed it, and fired to Lindstrom, who tagged the runner inches before he slid across the plate for the third out, keeping the game tied at 1-1.  In the bottom of the eighth, with a runner on first and no outs, an Andover batter singled to left.  The ball went between the legs of Hemr, allowing the lead runner to go all the way to third.  A sacrifice fly to center gave Andover the lead.  Brown singled with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Jace Piepgras lined out to center to end the game.

Bulldog Banter

The Bulldogs (0-1) will host their first home game of the season against the Forest Lake Brewers this Saturday at 2 p.m. at Pat Collins Field at Chisago Lakes High School.  On Sunday, they will head to Quamba for a mini-tournament.  In a pair of seven inning games, they will face the Shoreview StumpGrinders at 3 p.m. and the Quamba Cubs at 5 p.m.

You can follow the Bulldogs on Facebook (ChisagoBulldogs), X (formerly Twitter) (@chisagobulldogs), Instagram (chisago_lakes_bulldogs)

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