Chuck Fitzer
Recent Stories
Sports
Bulldogs fall to fourth seed
The Bulldogs, with the number two seed in the Eastern Minny South playoffs seemingly wrapped up, had a strange week and, when it was all over, dropped to the number four seed in the South. Last Wednesday, they committed ten errors and lost 7-4 to a weak Ogilvie team. On Friday, they beat the Princeton Panthers 9-6. The Panthers had clinched the top seed Eastern Minny League North the night before. And on Sunday, with the number two seed still in their grasp, they lost 7-5 to the St. Francis Silverbacks, largely as the result of three stellar plays by Silverback outfielders early in the game, errors, and some bad calls by a seemingly biased umpire.
Sports
Bulldogs clip Nighthawks to claim Mug
The Mug is a traveling trophy, provided by Pizza Pub, fought over between the Chisago Lakes Bulldogs and their arch rival, the North Branch Nighthawks, in the annual Mug Game. The Nighthawks won The Mug for the first five years of the annual game, and Nighthawk players over 21 got to drink out of The Mug before it was displayed along with other trophies at the North Branch Pizza Pub. The Bulldogs finally won The Mug this year in an epic pitcher’s duel that included some controversy, defeating the Nighthawks 3-1 this past Saturday, July 13 at Pat Collins Field. This year’s game was an official Karl Oskar Days event. Beau Fandel threw a complete game one-hitter for the Bulldogs to get the win, and Jimmy Skroch, the winning pitcher for the Nighthawks in all five of the previous Mug Games, took the complete game loss.
Sports
Bulldogs win four Eastern Minny games in a row
Hunter Lindstrom pitched a complete game, and Reed Marquardt’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the third put the Bulldogs up 3-0 over the Ramsey Renegades as the Bulldogs went on to beat the Renegades 5-1 on Wednesday, June 26 at Pat Collins Field at Chisago Lakes High School. The sidearming Lindstrom kept Ramsey off balance all night. He allowed one earned run on five hits, didn’t walk anyone, and struck out eight.
Sports
Bulldogs still finding footing with busy schedule
A revised catcher’s interference call allowed the go-ahead run to score for the Osceola Braves in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the lead held, as the Braves beat the Bulldogs 4-3 Wednesday, May 29 at Oakey Park in Osceola, Wisconsin.
Sports
Wildcats fall short in consolation bracket
In the opening game of the Section 7AAA baseball playoffs, the third-seeded Duluth Denfeld Hunters had just six hits. But Wildcat pitchers walked eight batters and hit one, and five of those nine batters scored as the Hunters beat the Wildcats 6-2 Tuesday, May 28 at Duluth. Caden Gibbs drove in one Wildcat run with a first inning single, and Kellen Meissner drove in the other with a groundout in the top of the seventh. The loss sent the Wildcats to the elimination bracket, but they actually got a home game as the higher seed, after seventh-seeded Cloquet lost their playoff opener to second-seeded Hermantown.
Sports
‘Dogs win ugly 12-10 against Metro Knights
Clint Eastwood starred in the movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” The Bulldogs’ game against the Metro Knights last Monday, May 20, contained all three of those elements.
Sports
Wildcats struggle late
The Coon Rapids Cardinals broke open a close game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and shut out the Wildcats 5-0 Wednesday, May 22 at Coon Rapids High School. Coon Rapids pitching held the Wildcats to just three hits and six baserunners overall.
Sports
Showers goes yard for CL to walk off on Vikings
The Monticello Magic erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth inning and went on to beat the Wildcats 8-2 on Tuesday, May 14 at Pat Collins Field at Chisago Lakes High School. The Wildcats led 2-1 going into the fifth. But three singles, a hit batter, a walk, and a double given up by starting pitcher Xavier Taylor led to four Magic runs with no outs. Another run scored on a groundout, and Monticello led 6-2. They added two more runs in the seventh to make the final score 8-2. Caden Gibbs singled in one of the Wildcats runs, and Ian Larsen drove in the other one with a sacrifice fly.
Sports
Wildcats finish second at true team state
The Wildcats girls finished second to Rocori at the True Team State Tournament last Saturday, May 18 at Stillwater High School. The Wildcats edged out Byron by just 1 ½ points for second, showing once again how every athlete finishing an event, no matter how far back they are, can make a difference in a True Team event since every finishing athlete is awarded team points.
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