by Max Mercy

 

DULUTH -- The Duluth-Superior Dukes defeated the Ashland Merchants, 3-2, in the first game of an Upper 13 League doubleheader at Bulldog Park.

 

The Dukes erased a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Peyton Flanders and a sacrifice fly by Cody Dolsen. Mike Lewis hit an RBI double for a 3-1 lead in the fifth.

 

Jordan Pearce's RBI single scored Tim King in the second inning for Ashland. The Merchants rallied for one run on three hits with one out in the top of the seventh, as Dan Bennett scored on Taylor Stibbe's RBI single, but reliever Jake Lewis got the final two outs with the tying run stranded on second base.

 

Colton Godbout (1-0 W-L, 1.38 ERA) was the winning pitcher. He worked five and one-third innings and allowed one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Lewis picked up the save; he went one and one-third innings and allowed one run on three hits and no walks. He had two strikeouts.

 

Losing pitcher Bob Tyndall allowed two earned runs on seven hits and no walks with six strikeouts in six innings.

 

Flanders was 2-for-3 for the Dukes. Bennett, Stibbe, and Frank Pufall were each 2-for-4 for Ashland.