GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – The Grand Island Islanders trailed by eight runs heading into the final inning, but tagged Omaha Central for 10 runs in the final two innings to steal a win in their home opener. 

Friday was the home opener for Grand Island (3-0) while Omaha Central (2-2) was playing their fourth game in four days. 

Sam Dinkelman hit a home run on the first pitch of the game to give Grand Island a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. 

The Eagles responded with six runs on five hits in the top of the second inning to lead 6-1. 

The score was 9-5 after three innings after Grayson Sack hit a home run for Grand Island and Oscar Yuhas-Vining hit a three-run homer for Omaha Central. 

The Eagles kept the pressure on scoring six more runs in the last three innings to take a 15-7 lead into the 7th inning. 

That's when Grand Island sent 13 men to the plate in their last gasp and scored eight runs to tie it at 15-15. 

In the first extra inning, Joe Sullivan hit a go-ahead home run for Omaha Central to give the Eagles a 16-15 lead. 

Broxton Barrientos and Gabe Ruiz reached base for Grand Island, then Gage Gannon hit a fly ball to the left center field wall that dropped for a game winning 2-RBI double. 

After the offensive onslaught, the Eagles recorded 16 hits and the Islanders cracked 22 hits. The pitching staffs combined to throw 380 pitches with 11 pitchers. 

Grand Island hit five home runs, and Omaha Central had two long balls.

 

Score by inning

OC 0 6 3 0 3 0 3 1

GI 1 4 0 1 1 0 8 2