Bulls rally in extras

Before they head out on an extended road trip, the Lethbridge Bulls gave the hometown fans an exciting sendoff.

The Bulls rallied to defeat the Edmonton Prospects 6-5 in Western Major Baseball League play Thursday night at Spitz Stadium.

Lethbridge’s Hank Forrest singled to first base with two out in the bottom of the 11th inning to score Chris Messer as the Bulls rallied from a 5-3 deficit with two runs in the ninth on their way to the win that improves them to 11-16 on the season.

It also sends the Bulls on a lengthy, seven-games-ineight nights road swing primarily through Saskatchewan on a winning note.

The teams battled to a 1-1 tie after the first as Forrest singled to lead off and scored on a Lachlan Mayo double.

The Prospects went up 2-1 in the top of the second inning before the Bulls pulled even once again in the third as Mayo scored on an Ashton Roy single to right field.

Edmonton sounded off in the sixth inning, bringing across three runs that put the visitors up 5-2, but the Bulls trimmed that lead to 5-3 after the sixth. Grant Schmidt singled to lead off and scored on a single from Mayo.

The Prospects took their two-run lead into the ninth inning, but couldn’t make it stick as the Bulls battled back with a pair of runs to force extra innings.

Dylan Borman doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Carter Witbeck.

Then, with two out, Blake MacDonald doubled to centre field to score Nick Ankermann and set the table to the extra innings win.

Forrest — hitting leadoff — was 5-for-7 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI, while Mayo was 4-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI in a game in which the Bulls scattered 20 hits.

Borman was 2-for-6 with one run scored and Roy was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Witbeck was 2-for-6 with one RBI and MacDonald batted 2-for-2 with one RBI.

Bulls closer Chris Stoldolka earned the win for Lethbridge, going two innings and giving up no runs or hits, striking out two.

Lethbridge’s road trip begins tonight and Saturday in Regina against the Red Sox.

They are in Yorkton Sunday and Monday and Melville Tuesday and Wednesday. The Bulls complete the road trip Friday in Okotoks and return home to Spitz Stadium July 14 when the Moose Jaw Miller Express come to Spitz Stadium at 7 p.m.