A two-run rally and an assist from Mother Nature may have sent Egg Harbor to no worse than a tie for third place after beating Institute 8-6 in a rain-shortened game Friday night.

 

With rain in the forecast, the Indians attacked the Cubs early and often as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings. Eric DeJardine delivered the team's biggest blow early on with a one-out, two-run double in the gap in the first inning. The Cubs would whittle away at the Indians' lead, first on a run-scoring single by Jake Pflieger in the second inning and a three-run rally in the third inning highlighted by a Pflieger double. With the score 6-4, the Cubs made a one-run game in the fourth with an RBI single by Robby Pollman and another RBI single by Jared Pflieger in the fifth inning. 

 

With the rain coming down and lightning in the sky, the Indians would deal the Cubs what would be two fatal blows in the sixth inning with DeJardine and Nick Posh recording run-scoring outs. 

 

After forcing a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh, the Cubs staged a rally in the middle of a downpour that placed Frankie Ash and Tommy Junion in scoring position with just one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. The skies just opened up just enough more to send the game into a rain delay the two teams would not come out of. 

 

 

The Cubs would actually outhit the Indians 12-10 with Robby Pollman registering three hits and Ash, Junion, and Pflieger all collecting two hits. Nick Kita, Cody Giesseman, and Alex Byrne all had multi-hit games for the Indians. 

 

The win gives the Indians breathing room heading into Sunday with half-game leads over Washington Island and West Jacksonport for the third playoff spot. The Islanders welcome Baileys Harbor and the Ports host Kolberg on 105.1 The GOAT Sunday afternoon to help sort out who makes the playoffs. A Sister Bay win over Maplewood would give the Bays the regular season title.