Late rally drops Lunkers

Trailing 4-2 after seven innings, the Thunder Bay Border Cats sent nine batters to the plate, utilized multiple suicide squeeze bunts and scored five runs in the eighth to score a 7-5 victory over the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers Saturday at Mills Field.

Until then, the Lunkers had led the entire game.

Brainerd scored in the second as a looping single to right by Mike Martinez (Florida International) scored Michael Gedman (UMass) from third base.

In the fourth, the Border Cats tied the game but they soon trailed again.

Back-to-back singles by Gedman and Justin Gominsky (Minnesota) set up Hunter Nolen's two-run hit that put the Lunkers back up, 3-1.

Both teams scored in the seventh, but in the eighth, the Border Cats took over. A leadoff single was followed by another base hit. An error by the Lunkers loaded the bases, and Thunder Bay used the suicide squeeze multiple times to even the game.

A late surge by the Lunkers put one run across to cut the deficit to the final score. With the bases loaded and two out, a ground ball ended the threat and the game.

Lunkers starter Brad Mergen (Indian Hills CC) pitched well in a seven-inning outing. He left with a lead, but got stuck with a no-decision. Mergen allowed just two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out six.

David Valesente (St. Joseph's) led the Lunkers by going 3-for-5 with three singles. Gominsky added two hits.

Stellar diving grabs by Gominsky and Will Piwnica-Worms (Duke) prevented a pair of extra-base hits for the Border Cats.

The Lunkers dropped to 16-19 overall, 0-2 in the second half. Following an day off Sunday they return to Mills Field at 7:05 p.m. Monday to host the Eau Claire Express. The first 300 fans, 14 and under, receive a Lunkers replica jersey/T-shirt on Good Samaritan Bowl Night.

Thunder Bay 000 100 150 - 7 9 2

Brainerd 010 002 101 - 5 9 3

TB: Miguel Valcarcel, Drew Erwin (7), Matt Dwyer (7), Luis Castillo (8), Chris Marlowe (9) and Aaron Munoz.

Brd: Brad Mergen, Mats Mattson (8), Joey Van Cleave (8) and Hunter Nolen.

W: Castillo (1-0). L: Mattson (0-1). Sv: Marlowe (5).

2B: TB-A.J. Schugel.

RBIs: TB-Schugel 2, Eli Tupuola, Munoz, E. Brown; Brd-Michael Gedman 2, Nolen 2, Mike Martinez.

SB: TB-Garret Houts.

LOB: TB 6, Brainerd 11

T: 2:59.

A: 562.

Next: Eau Claire vs. Brainerd 7:05 p.m. Monday, Mills Field.