The Bombers and Chucks traded zeroes until the third, when the Woodchucks offense continued their strong finish to Wednesday’s game with another crooked number. The inning started off with a Mike Bernal hit-by-pitch, a Branden Cogswell single, and a Brooks Braga hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with no outs for Gage Green. Green drew a walk to drive in Bernal and put the Woodchucks on top 1-0. After that at bat, Green is now 2-2 with the bases loaded this season with 10 RBI’s, 2 doubles, three walks, and a sacrifice fly. The Woodchucks would go on to score four more runs in the inning, including two on a double by Brendon Hayden to put the ‘Chucks on top 5-0.

The Bombers would come back with twelve unanswered runs in the third through the fifth innings to take the lead from the ‘Chucks. The Bombers scored five runs in the third and three in the fourth off of Woodchuck starter Austin Pettiborne to take an 8-5 lead. They extended that to 12-5 with four more runs off of Zach Wendorf as Wendorf walked four batters.

The Woodchucks would not give up again, though, as they have shown an ability to make large comebacks the entire season. The ‘Chucks answered with four runs in the top of the sixth, with RBI’s going to Braga on a double and Madison Carter on a single and two RBI’s going to J.D. Davis on a double to make it 12-9 ballgame.

That would be it for scoring for the ballgame as Brian Heldman and Alex Tukey came in out of the bullpen for the Bombers to keep the ‘Chucks off the board, making Battle Creek the 12-9 victors in game one of the three-game series.

The two teams will square off again tomorrow at C.O. Brown Stadium at 6:05 CDT.