BRANDON – The Brookings Cubs saw a 4-0 lead go away in the last three innings and fell to the Brandon Rats 5-4 Thursday night.
The Cubs opened the game with four runs in the first.
Jake Devine was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 1-0. Mason Winterboer then hit a two-run single to make it 3-0. Devine scored on an error to make it 4-0.
Neither team would score the next four innings. Brandon got on the board in the sixth inning with three runs. Connor Kencht hit an RBI single and Ryan Hamilton followed with a two-run single to make it 4-3 after six.
The Rats would hold the Cubs scoreless in the top of the seventh and tie the game in the bottom of the inning. Sam Eng hit an RBI single to make it 5-4.
Brandon then took the lead in the eighth when Knecht hit an RBI double to make it 5-4.
Henry Hammrich singled to lead off the ninth, but the next three hitters for Brookings went down one-two-three to end the game.
Devine started the game for the Cubs. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. Mason Bebensee pitched the final 2 1/3 and gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Jake Anderson went 2-for-3. Winterboer, Cole Mahlum, Jamison Honkomp and Sam McMacken each went 1-for-3. Hammrich was 1-for-1.
Brookings is now 19-5 and play in the North District Tournament next weekend.
BRANDON 5, BROOKINGS 4
Brookings 400 000 000 – 4 8 1
Brandon 000 003 11x – 5 11 1
