by Max Mercy
DULUTH -- Jimmy Merling hit a walk-off three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh as the Duluth-Superior Dukes defeated the Ashland Merchants, 6-4, to sweep the Upper 13 League doubleheader. The Dukes were trailing 4-3 going into the final inning. One-out walks to Corey Pavlich and Jon Soto put the tying and winning runs on base before Merling's blast.
Merling was 2-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs, and Mike Lewis was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Duluth-Superior.
Ashland's Dan Bennett was 2-for-4 with a run.
Winning pitcher Anthony Bush (4-0 W-L, 1.66 ERA) worked one scoreless inning in relief of starter Bryce Oslin. Oslin allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in six innings. Bush walked one with no hits allowed and no strikeouts.
Losing pitcher Josh Carlson allowed three earned runs on six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in six and one-third innings.
Duluth-Superior is now 8-0 in the Upper 13 League (10-5 overall). Ashland falls to 4-5 in the Upper 13 League.
The Dukes are next in action on Saturday, July 18, when they take on the Cumberland Islanders in a non-league game at Morrie Arnovich Memorial Field in Superior at 1:00 p.m. Their next Upper 13 League contests are a doubleheader against Washburn on Sunday, July 19 at Arnovich Field. Game 1 is also slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.