REL Inc-Mohawk Technology’s Dean Jurmu bats against Northern Driveline during a Twilight League game Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Stanton Township, Mich. (Eddie O’Neill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

STANTON TOWNSHIP — After a two-game opening losing streak, REL Inc.-Mohawk Technology posted a 10-9 victory over Northern Driveline on Thursday in Twilight League action.

It was not an easy win as the boys from REL Inc.-MT Took an early lead only to lose in the middle innings and regain in the top of the seventh.

“We kept battling,” said Grant Johnson, player-coach for REL Inc.-Mt. “We kept being aggressive, and the next thing you know a couple of things went our way.”

It looked like it was going to be smooth sailing for REL Inc.-MT as they posted two runs in the first and three more in the second. Most of those were due to errors in the field by Northern. Balls were being thrown around and allowing REL Inc.-MT players to take extra bases and cross home plate.

Northern Driveline (0-2) wasn’t the only ones with mishaps. In the bottom of the second, REL Inc.-MT. tallied a few of their own allowing Northern to post four runs. After two innings REL Inc.-MT led 5-4.

In the third both teams scored one apiece to make it 6-5.

Northern’s starting pitcher Alex Nordstrom shut REL Inc.-MT down in the top of the fourth and his teammates rallied for two runs to take their first lead of the game at 7-6. Swinging a big bat that inning was soon-to-be relief pitcher Chad Nordstrom who got an RBI double. He came home on a Brent Loukus single.

Northern’s lead was short lived as a bases-loaded wild pitch in the top of the fifth allowed REL Inc.-MT.’s Tristin Ashbrook to score and tie the game However, Northern bounced back and regained the lead in their half of the fifth due to base hits by Justin Heinonen and Austin Kinnunen. They added another run in the sixth to take a 9-7 lead with just three outs to go at the start of the seventh.

“At that point, it was our game to win,” said Northern Driveline player-manager Evan Larson. “But, we lost it.”

In the seventh, REL Inc.-MT took advantage of two walks to Alan Jurmu and Blake Pietila. Then a bunt by Travis Pietila loaded the bases. Chad Nordstrom walked in Dean Jurmu and a wild pitch brought in the tying run. Bryce Turner proved to be the winning run after he got a base hit and eventually came home for the winning tally.

“It was a tough loss,” Larson said. “We had too many men left on base and sloppy fielding added to our downfall.”

REL 231 010 3 – 10

ND 041 211 0 – 9