Amateur Baseball: Two-run seventh inning lifts Bird Island past Atwater 5-2

ATWATER -- Bird Island struck early in the ball game, with two runs in the second inning, and went on to defeat Atwater 5-2 on Friday in a non-league game between former Cornbelt League rivals.

Tyler Hebrink, and Luke Kramer each had doubles, and an RBI for Bird Island. Josh Cunningham knocked in a run for Atwater.

Jesse Bjur pitched a seven-inning gem for Bird Island, allowing only two batters to score -- both were unearned -- and giving up five singles while not issuing a walk.

Atwater pitcher Vance Martin took the loss for Atwater, going 6.2 innings. He gave up four hits, four runs, and walked three.

The teams combined to commit nine errors with the home team making six.

Atwater hosts Starbuck on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for a first-round game of the County Line League playoffs.

Bird Island 5, Atwater 2

Bird Island 020 000 201 -- 5 6 3

Atwater 002 000 000 -- 2 6 6

HITTING - Bird Island: Tyler Hebrink 2-for-5 2b rbi, Luke Kramer 1-for-5 2b rbi, Mark Neubauer 1-for-4 2b 2 runs rbi, Andrew Brooks 1-for-3, Alex Gay 1-for-4... Atwater: Josh Cunningham 1-for-4 rbi, Jeff Peterson 1-for-3, Matt Tanner 1-for-3, Brian Kingery 1-for-4, Matt Lilleberg 1-for-3, Vance Martin 1-for-2

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Bird Island: Jesse Bjur (W) 7-5-2-0-0-0, Dylan Gas 2-1-0-0-2-3 ... Atwater: Martin (L) 6.2-4-4-4-3-1, Brian Kingery 2.1-2-1-0-0-4