Hunter Nolen's bases-clearing double broke open a tie game in the seventh inning to lift the Brainerd Lunkers to a 6-3 win over the Duluth Huskies in a Northwoods League baseball game Sunday afternoon at Brainerd.
Nolen, who was 3-for-4, drilled a two-out double off losing pitcher Christopher Jensen to score Justin Gominsky, David Valesente and Mike Kvasnicka and give the Lunkers (5-4 second half) the victory in the opening game of the series.
Kvasnicka had two hits and scored two runs for Brainerd.
The Huskies totaled 11 hits off three Brainerd pitchers, led by two hits each from Scott Sommerfeld, Todd Baumgartner and Zach Walters, but Duluth (3-6) left 11 runners on base.
Matt Mullendore earned the win with one inning in relief of starting pitcher Michael Gedman. Joey Van Cleave allowed one hit and struck out four in two innings to pick up the save.
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Jensen was the losing pitcher after starter Drew Benes scattered six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The teams meet again at C.M. Stewart Field at 7:05 p.m. today.
