BOZEMAN — The Bozeman Bucks beat the Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs 15-14 in a thrilling late-game comeback on Tuesday.
The teams played a three-game series over the course of two days, splitting a doubleheader on Monday.
Bozeman took the first game 12-1, and Medicine Hat won the second 4-2.
After going into the third inning tied 4-4, the Monarchs would heat up and score nine runs in the top half to grab a 13-4 lead. But there wasn't much more scoring until the bottom of the sixth.
That's when the Bucks chipped away and eventually took the lead.
Austin Cooper scored off of Jadin Frandsen's bunt, which would cut the Medicine Hat lead down to 14-13. Then, Luke Rizzo hit a liner to center field for a two-run double, scoring Frandsen and Jarrett Herz to take a 15-14 lead.
The Bucks held on to it through the top of the seventh and clinch the win.
"We had a lot of momentum going on, and I just figured we had a lot of great swings that inning, put up four (runs) before I came up," Rizzo said about his game-winning hit. "(Coach Sean) Potkay came up, gave some good advice, stay in my legs, just was aggressive."
The third baseman hails from Poly Prep Country Day in New York, NY.
He's unsure if he'll be back next season to play with the Bucks since he's eligible, but is overjoyed if this is his final game left on home field with how well it ended.
"I'm a senior," he said. "I might come back, who knows, but if this is the last time I play on this field, I'm very happy to leave it that way. That was awesome."
"You know it's a nine-run lead, you really got to come and swing it and take advantage of every single at bat in order to come back, and they really did it," Potkay said. "Just one of the better games I've been apart of at this field in probably ten years either as a player or as a coach. So, just really exciting there and hopefully carry the momentum there into this weekend."
Potkay was referring to the American Legion state tournament for Class AA which starts Saturday in Missoula.
