By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Brandywine Bobcats rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the second game of its Lakeland Conference doubleheader against visiting River Valley to gain a split Friday night.
The Bobcats were down 7-3 at one point in the second game before holding the Mustangs scoreless over the final five innings to win it in the ninth.
Josh Atwood hit a walk-off home run in the ninth to give the Bobcats the victory. It was Atwood's second home run of the game.
Atwood finished with four RBIs.
Freshman Jake Harris picked up the victory in relief as he pitched two scoreless innings against the No. 10 ranked team in Division 3.
The Bobcats scored two runs in the second, third and fourth innings and then a run in the sixth to tie the score at 7-7.
The Bobcats (9-14, 4-6 LAC) finished with nine hits, including a pair by Kory Bridges. Zach Bennett drove in two runs, while Bridges was credited with an RBI.
Alex Newman added a double for the Bobcats.
River Valley finished with 12 hits.
In the first game River Valley jumped out to a 3-0 lead after a half inning of play only to have the Bobcats come back with two of their own in the bottom of the first. Both teams scored a run in the second and it remained 4-3 until the sixth when River Valley tacked on an insurance run.
Bridges went the distance and took the loss for the Bobcats.
Brandywine finished with five hits in the contest, including doubles by Bridges and Justin Ely.
River Valley had eight hits in the opening game.
The Bobcats are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday when they host the Coloma Comets in a Lakeland Conference doubleheader scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.