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The Chisago Lakes Bulldogs town baseball team played some of the best teams in the state to get ready for the Eastern Minny League season. Even though they lost all four games, the experience prepared them well.  The Bulldogs have started the league season 6-1, including two exciting comeback wins.

Anoka 5, Chisago Lakes 3

Pitchers Cole Hentges and Reed Marquardt combined to allow just one hit to the Class A Anoka Bucs, but seven Bulldog errors led to a 5-3 loss on Thursday, May 15 at Castle Field in Anoka.  Brendan Hemr went 2-for-4 and stole three bases for the Bulldogs.

Chisago Lakes 12, Isanti 2 (8 innings)

Playing in front of the home crowd in their Eastern Minny League opener, the Bulldogs hammered the Isanti Redbirds 12-2 in a game shortened to eight innings because of the ten-run rule.  It marked the first time the Redbirds had ever been ten-runned by an Eastern Minny League team.  Starter Beau Fandel went the distance to pick up the win for the Bulldogs.  He allowed two runs – one earned – on six hits, walked none and struck out ten.

The Bulldogs erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second, helped along by two fly balls that fell in front of an inexperienced Redbird right fielder.  The Bulldogs led 8-2 going into the bottom of the eighth.  Jack Boeck singled and Ty Escobedo walked to lead off the inning.  Brendan Hemr doubled to drive in Boeck.  Reed Marquardt singled and Beau Fandel grounded into a fielder’s choice, both driving in runs to make the score 11-2.  Alex Wilkey walked to load the bases.  Nick Brown singled to left to score Fandel and ended the game.

Chisago Lakes 11, Moose Lake 3

Reed Marquardt drove in seven runs and Brendan Hemr scored five times to lead the Bulldogs to an 11-3 win over the Eastern Minny League’s newest team, the Moose Lake Buzz, on Sunday, June 1 at Peterson Field in Quamba.   Starter Jacob Mickelson pitched six innings to get the win.  He allowed three runs – none of them earned – on six hits, walked one and struck out four.  Cole Hentges pitch one inning of scoreless relief, and River Bemlott finished up the game without allowing a run in two innings.

Marquardt went 5-for-6 in the game, with a double and a triple.  And the speedy Hemr went 0-for-3, but walked twice, was hit by a pitch, reached on an error, reached on a fielder’s choice, and scored every time he was on base, driven in by Marquardt each time.  The Bulldogs stole eight bases, with Hemr, Nate Zingerman, and Reece Berner stealing two bases each.

Chisago Lakes 12, Cambridge 2 (7 innings)

Tyler Stilp and Alex Wilkey hit grand slams in back-to-back innings to lead the Bulldogs to a 12-2 win over the Cambridge (formerly Rum River) Bandits Wednesday, June 4 at Chisago Lakes High School.  The game was shortened to seven innings because of the ten-run rule.  Beau Fandel pitched another complete game gem for the Bulldogs.  He allowed two runs – one earned – on six hits, walked one and struck out 13.

Chisago Lakes 7, Nowthen 6

Trailing 6-3 going into the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs rallied for four runs to take a 7-6 lead over the Nowthen Knights and closer Reed Marquardt set down the Knights 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to give the Bulldogs a thrilling win.  Luke Gunderman picked up the win with three innings of solid relief.  The game was played on Sunday, June 8 at a cold, windy Nowthen Field.

There was little reason to expect the Bulldogs to do anything as they entered the top of the ninth.  But hard-throwing Nowthen reliever Zane Christianson walked the first three Bulldog batters.  Alex Wilkey lined a 2-1 pitch to right center to drive in two runs and Tom Fitzer grounded a single through the left side of the drawn-in infield to score Marquardt and tied the game 6-6.  Jeremy Knutson was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Luke Gunderman hit a slow roller to second.  The second baseman’s only play was to first to retire Gunderman, but Wilkey crossed the plate with the go ahead run.  In the bottom of the inning, Marquardt blew away the final batter of the game on three pitches, completing one of the most exciting and unexpected comeback wins in Bulldog history.

Chisago Lakes 14, Quamba 11

With the Bulldogs trailing 11-6 in the fifth inning against the Quamba Cubs, Brendan Hemr blasted a grand slam to left field, cutting the Cub lead to 11-10.  Two innings later, with the scored tied 11-11, Beau Fandel hit a long home run to left to put the Bulldogs up 14-11.  Reed Marquardt shut the Cubs down the rest of the way to seal the win and improve the Bulldogs’ Eastern Minny League record to 5-1.  Marquardt pitched the final six innings of the game to pick up the win.  Hemr had another monster game for the Bulldogs. He went 4-for-4 with two home runs, six RBIs, four runs scored and two stolen bases.

Bulldog Banter

The Bulldogs (6-1 in the Eastern Minny League) will participate in the Hinckley Invitational Tournament at Brennan Field in Hinckley this weekend.  They will open against the Centennial Cougars tomorrow night at 6 p.m.  Game times Saturday and Sunday will depend on the outcome of Friday’s game.  If you can’t make it  to the games, you can follow the action on the GameChanger app.

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