Early in the baseball season, the Eureka Loggers are making a habit of playing close games.
They’re also making a habit of stepping up late in games, and that’s a good sign.
On Friday afternoon, the Eureka boys scored three times in the top of the seventh inning at Fort Bragg to pull out a 6-4 win over the Timberwolves.
It was the second straight weekend they rallied to score multiple runs late in a game, having also plated four times over the final two innings against Santa Rosa last Saturday.
The Loggers ended up losing that game in the bottom of the seventh, but this time they made the late rally count.
“It was another close ball game for us, so it was great to get the win,” said Eureka head coach Jackie Christensen, whose team improved to 2-1.
Senior Isaak Gutierrez provided the power at the plate with a pair of doubles, finishing the day 3-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases.
Relief pitcher Hayden Bode got the save, striking out two in the final inning and adding a great play on a Fort Bragg bunt to get the lead runner at third base.
Nate Fowler also had three solid innings in relief for the win, allowing just one earned run on three hits, while striking out three and walking two.
At the plate, Bode was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, while David Vagle added a double and an RBI.
Keenan Morris was 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI, while Tyce Mullins was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Isley Tulmau also had a hit.
The Loggers will play at Shasta on Wednesday.
Box
Eureka 6, Fort Bragg 4
Eureka- 210 000 3- 6- 9- 3
Fort Bragg- 020 100 1- 4- 6- 1
WP- Fowler, 3 IP, 3 K, 2 BB, 3 H, 1 ER
SV- Bode, 1 IP, 2 K, BB, 2 H, 0 ER
Hitting – Tulmau 1-5, SB, R; Munson 0-3, 2 BB; Vagle 1-3, 2B, BB, R, RBI; Hill, 0-3, HBP, R; Nylander 0-2, HBP, BB, R; Gutierrez 3-3, 2 2B, HBP, R, 2 SB, RBI; Mullins 1-4, RBI; Morris 1-1, 2B, RBI; Bode 2-3, BB, 2 R, SB
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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.