The Alpena Wildcats varsity baseball team showed grit and determination late in the game on Thursday with a comeback victory against the Bay City John Glenn Bobcats at Dow Diamond in Midland, home of the Great Lakes Loons minor league team. AHS won 7-6.

Alpena got a runner on base early with a two-strike single to center field by Cam McEwen, but they could not capitalize on it. After getting down early 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning on some hot hitting by John Glenn, the Cats got two back in the top of the second with three hits, including an RBI single by Owen Kaiser. John Glenn scored three more runs over the second and third innings on a couple of fielding errors to take a 6-2 lead, and both teams settled into some good pitching and defense until the top of the seventh inning.

The Wildcats started the comeback in the top of the seventh when the Bobcats brought in a new pitcher. Brady Chapman drew a walk after battling to a full count, and then two outs later, Aidan Aube came in to pinch-hit and drew another walk to keep the inning going. Jase Kollen then hit a timely RBI single down the right field line to score Chapman. Connor Cameron drew another walk after that to load the bases and was followed by Michael Kreis, who hit a fly ball down the right field foul line that was misplayed by the right fielder and scored pinch runner, Aiden Olsen, Kollen, and Cameron. Lucas Weir hit a hard ground ball to third base, who made a high throw to first and allowed Kreis to score the go-ahead run.

John Glenn came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning and started with a flyout to Nathan Southard in right field and then a hard grounder to Kreis at third base, who made a play to throw out the runner. Three batters later, Brady Chapman caught a flyball in center field to end the comeback victory.

Colton Anderson started the game on the mound for Alpena and was followed by Landon Gagnon in relief, who pitched a strong four-and-two-thirds innings, giving up one hit, two walks, and only three unearned runs. Eddie Prue pitched the sixth inning to hold the Bobcats scoreless before the offense took the lead, which earned him the win and was followed by Clark Weir, who closed out the bottom of the seventh to secure the save.

The offense was led by Lucas Weir with two hits, Cameron and Kreis, who each scored two runs, and an RBI each for Kaiser and Kollen.

Information for this story provided by Robert Kollen.