The Randall Cubs trailed Aitkin 4-0 midway through the game but rallied to tie it up at 4-4 on a 2-out rbi single from Brett Strack in the bottom of the 9th to send the game to extra innings. The Steam scored a run in the top of the 10th to regain a 5-4 lead, but the Cubs had the final say in the matter as Alex Gwost connected for a game-winning, walk-off 3-run Homer to give the Cubs and 8-5 win.
Aitkin scored the first run of the game in the top of the 2nd when Thorin Dunham had a 2-out rbi single to score Nolan Dotzler to make it 1-0.
Aitkin added 2 more in the top of the 4th when John McGuire belted a solo Homer to make it 2-0, then Hunter Hills singled and Nolan Dotzler came in to score on the play to make it 3-0. Owen Foday then singled to score Hills and put the Steam ahead 4-0 going to the bottom of the 4th.
The Cubs began their rally in the bottom of the 5th when Nate Benning singled to drive in Alex Gwost to make it 4-1. The Cubs would load the bases and score again when Braxten Santala walked to drive in Nate Benning and make it 4-2 after 5 inning.
In the bottom of the 6th, the Cubs cut the lead to 4-3 when Alex Gwost advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch and then scored on an Aitkin error to make it 4-3 after 6 innings.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th when Randall when Charlie Smieja was hit by a pitch with 1 out and then stole 2nd. After Zach Ehnstrom struck out Braxten Santala for the 2nd out, Smieja stole 2nd, bringing Brett Strack to the plate with the game on the line. On a 3-2 pitch, after fouling off 2 more pitches, Strack delivered base hit that brought home Smieja with the tying run, making it 4-4 and the game was headed to the 10th inning.
In the top of the 10th, Aitkin regained the lead when Nathan Ehnstrom scored on a 1-out error to make it 6-5 headed to the bottom of the 10th.
In the bottom of the 10th, Adam Nibaur led off with a walk, then Alex Gwost singled to move Nibaur to 2nd. Nate Benning then singled to center to bring in Nibaur and tie things up again at 5-5. Zach Gwost then belted a game-winning, walk-off 3-run Homer to left to score both Alex Gwost and Nate Benning and give the Cubs the come-from-behind 8-5 win.
Aitkin 5 9 1 – 5 10 innings
Randall 8 10 4 – 8
WP: Nate Benning 5.0IP 1 run 1 hit 10k 2bb
Adam Nibaur 5.0IP 4 runs 8 hits 4k 1bb
LP: Zach Ehnstrom 4.0IP 5 runs 5 hits 7k 2bb 1hp
John McGuire 5.0IP 3 runs 5 hits 4k 5bb 1hp
Cubs:
Alex Gwost 1-6 2 runs
Nate Benning 4-6 2B, 2 rbi, 2 runs
Zach Gwost 2-6 Hr, 3 rbi, run
Matt Otremba 1-3 bb, hp
Charlie Smieja 0-3 2hp, sb, run
Braxten Santala 0-4 bb, rbi
Brett Strack 2-4 bb, rbi
– Darin Gerads 0-0
Alec Zack 0-4 bb, run
Adam Nibaur 0-2 3bb, run
Steam:
Jake McGuire 2-4 bb
Nathan Ehnstrom 1-4 2B, sac, run
Zach Ehnstrom 0-5
John McGuire 1-4 Hr, bb, rbi, run
Landon Janzen 0-5
Nolan Dotzler 2-5 2 runs
Hunter Hills 1-3 bb, run
Thorin Dunham 1-4 rbi
Owen Foday 1-2 rbi
– Mark Rhode 0-1