The Eureka Loggers returned to action for the first time in 17 days on Tuesday, hosting a doubleheader against Fort Bragg.
Despite leading late in the game, the hosts dropped the opener 10-6, but they responded well in game two with a 5-4 walk-off victory.
With the split, the Loggers are now 2-3 on the season and head coach Tommy Gale believes there were some positives as his team got in some much-needed game time.
“Although we didn’t get the ideal outcome of two wins, we had a lot to be happy about and lots to build off of,” Gale said.
Game two featured an exciting conclusion, with impressive senior Cole Zeller helping to lead his team to the victory.
There was little to separate the two teams for much of the game, but the visiting Timberwolves took a 4-3 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.
The Loggers, however, answered in the bottom of the seventh scoring twice to pull out the dramatic come-from-behind win.
Zeller, who finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and also reached base on a hit-by-pitch, drove in the winning run on a suicide squeeze with the bases loaded to continue his impressive start to the campaign.
“Cole Zeller continues to build off his big season last year and looks to continue being a huge part of our offense,” Gale said.
Zeller also made what Gale described as an “incredible diving catch” in right field, diving back towards the fence to save at least one run on the play.
Freshman Brayden Bermers got the start on the mound for Eureka and impressed with four solid innings.
The newcomer gave up three earned runs on four hits and a walk and struck out six for a no-decision.
Experienced senior Sebastian Standish got the win in relief, giving up no earned runs in three innings while allowing three hits and no walks and striking out three.
The Loggers had just three hits in the win, but took advantage of four walks and some Fort Bragg mistakes, including scoring a pair of runs on a passed ball in the bottom of the third.
In addition to Zeller’s two timely hits — one of which also scored a run in the first — Garrett Levitt finished 1-for-2 with a walk and scored twice.
Game one, however, got away from the home team, which led 6-1 after four innings.
The Timberwolves took full advantage of some costly Eureka errors in the top of the fifth, scoring seven runs in the inning to take control.
Junior Ty Crawford had a big game on the mound for the Loggers and gave his team a chance to win.
Crawford got the start and threw four hitless innings before leaving the game.
The junior allowed one earned run on four walks and struck out eight.
According to Gale, Crawford pitched well enough to get the win and his team led by five runs when he was replaced.
The Loggers offense managed five hits in the loss, including a triple by Robert Williams and doubles by Royce Olson and Jayden Payton.
Jesse Vasquez and Crawford each also had a base hit for the home team, with Vasquez and Payton each driving in a run.
Next up, the Loggers are scheduled to travel for three games early week before opening conference play with a doubleheader at Fortuna on April 5.
On Monday afternoon they will play a single game at Petaluma before playing a doubleheader at Oakmont the following day.
