Metros Otto-matic
No. 9 hitter Otto leads Minot past BurlingtonBy CRAIG HAUPERT, Staff Writer chaupert@minotdailynews.com
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BURLINGTON - The Minot Metros continue to get big plays from different players on a game-by-game basis.
Thursday afternoon it was Damon Otto, whose leadoff single sparked an eight-run third the Metros used to top Burlington 11-0 in the first game of an American Legion Baseball Class B doubleheader. Batting in the nine spot, Otto scored twice in the inning and finished 3-for-3 with a run batted in and a walk in the Section 5 contest.
"It seems almost every other game there's a new guy that steps up and takes the leadership role," Metros head coach Travis Smith said. "(Thursday) Damon definitely came up big for us at the plate. He's a guy that's fast on the base paths and he's a good baserunner."
Otto also played a key role in the Metros' 9-8 come-from-behind win in the non-section nightcap. Nursing a one-run lead with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Otto took the mound and retired five straight batters - four on strikeouts - to earn the save.
The Metros improved to 23-8 and 10-1 in Section 5. After Tuesday's section doubleheader against Velva, the Metros will begin play in the Section 5 tournament Wednesday in Burlington.
"I think we're playing well right now," Otto said. "We're hitting the ball and playing good defense, but we'll have to continue it. We've got some tough games coming up."
In the beginning of game 1, the Metros had trouble hitting Burlington starter Tim Ranum, who allowed one hit and two baserunners through two innings. Otto's single in the third led to a string of six hits in seven at bats and in the blink of an eye the Metros had an 8-0 lead. The Metros had 15 hits in the game and got three hits from Merck and two hits apiece from Casey Roed, Josh Melom and Kris Winkels.
"(Ranum) was doing all right, (Minot) just did a good job of hitting," Burlington head coach Brock Weppler said. "They just came out and hit some good pitches and got hot at the right time."
Metros starter Tyrel Erickson picked up the win in the opener, allowing three hits, while striking out four and walking two.
After allowing a run in the top of the first of game 2, Burlington responded with five runs in the bottom half to lead 5-1. Tyler Storseth plated two with a single in the inning and finished 1-for-2.
The Metros clawed back, scoring three in the second and four in the third to lead 8-5. Burlington knotted the game at 8 on a Jacob Eckel single and two wild pitches that scored runs in the bottom of the third.
Metros short stop Jordan Rubbelke, who was hit in the face by a ball that took a bad hop in the first inning, scored the game-winner on a wild pitch in the fourth. Rubbelke finished 2-for-3 and was the only Metro with multiple hits in game 2.
Metros reliever Alex Howell picked up the win and Burlington reliever Ryan Westby was charged with the loss.
