Bulldogs end regular season

Published 11:54 am Friday, July 9, 2021

: Lake Mills senior Jack Ramaker throws in a pitch Thursday night against Estherville Lincoln Central. Ramaker pitched 4.1 innings in the 20-0 loss. - Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

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The Lake Mills baseball team closed out the regular season Thursday night when they played host to Estherville-Lincoln Central.

The Bulldogs struggled at the plate, garnering just three hits through the game, while giving up 20 runs on 15 hits, falling 20-0 in five innings.

Estherville Lincoln Central put up two runs in the top of the first and never looked back, adding another three in the second and four in the third. The fifth inning is when Estherville Lincoln Central really pulled away, adding 11 more runs to make it a 20-run game and ending the game after the fifth inning.

Senior Casey Hanson, freshman Garrett Ham and eighth grader Hayden Helgeson were the only three Bulldogs to record a hit in the game — all three were singles. Helgeson, senior Jack Ramaker and junior A.J. Ramaker were each walked once throughout the game, giving the Bulldogs a total of three baserunners.

Starting on the mound for Lake Mills was Jack Ramaker, who pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 11 runs on 10 hits, while walking four and striking out none. Junior Hayden Brua came in for relief in the fifth inning and pitched .2 innings. Brua allowed nine runs on one hit while walking seven and striking out two.

Lake Mills senior Casey Hanson winds up to fire the ball to first base for an out Thursday night at home. Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

The Bulldogs end the regular season with an overall record of 9-15 and a 5-9 record in the Top of Iowa West Conference. They will take on the 14-9 Huskies of Nashua-Plainfield in the opening round of the Class 1A Substate 2 tournament.

Despite the Bulldogs and Huskies both being in the Top of Iowa Conference, this will be their first meeting of the season. Against like teams, the Huskies have a slight advantage with a 4-7 record, while the Bulldogs have a 2-8 record.

Nashua Plainfield has wins over Central Springs, Northwood-Kensett, Osage and Hampton Dumont. Lake Mills also has wins over Northwood-Kensett and Osage.

The substate game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Saturday at Newman Catholic High School. The winner of that matchup moves on to face the tall task of taking on the 28-1 Knights of Newman Catholic in the second round Tuesday night.