WILLMAR, Minn. – Max Kuhn and Mitch Rowan each hit two-run homers to spark a six-run comeback effort in the eighth and ninth innings Saturday afternoon, but Rochester scored a run in the 10th to defeat the Stingers, 9-8, at Bill Taunton Stadium.

Trailing 8-4 entering the ninth, Zach Benson (Stephen F. Austin) hit a leadoff single, and Mitch Rowan (San Francisco) immediately followed with a home run to centerfield to cut the deficit in half. Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) then walked, and Steven Brault (Regis) singled to right and advanced on an error to put the tying run in scoring position. Hunter Dozier (Stephen F. Austin) entered as a pinch-hitter and hit a sacrifice fly down the left field line to score Allday from third and make it a one-run contest. Dozier now has 18 RBIs in 20 games this season.

For the second straight night, Corben Green (Louisiana Monroe) stepped to the plate with the tying run on base and two outs in the ninth. After a game-tying single Friday night, Green grounded the ball to second base on Saturday and a throwing error allowed Brault to score and send the game into extra innings, 8-8.

The comeback started in the eighth inning when Green hit a two-out single in front of Max Kuhn (Kentucky), who hammered a ball well beyond the left field fence to bring the Stingers within four runs, 8-4. It marked Kuhn’s first home run as a Stinger and gave him seven RBIs for the season.

Jacob Cage suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits, including three solo home runs, in 4.1 innings. One of the homers came off the bat of Trevor Podratz for his league-leading fifth of the season. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Stingers.

Willmar now heads on the road for two games against Mankato beginning with a Sunday evening contest at 6:05 p.m.

The 2012 season is presented by Charter. For more information on your Willmar Stingers be sure to visit the West Central Tribune at www.wctrib.com.