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The game was the fourth-longest by time in Northwoods League history, 5 hours, 24 minutes, and tied for second-longest by innings.
Bowman, who entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch runner, came to bat with the bases loaded against Bryan Westphal, Brainerd's seventh pitcher of the game. Bowman fell behind 1-2, then took three straight balls to drive home Justin Toole, who had been hit by a pitch to lead off the 17th.
"The intensity got more and more as the innings dragged on," said Bowman, who was mobbed by his teammates after taking his walk. "You put so much effort in, you don't want to lose."
The game was a slugfest and a pitchers' duel all wrapped up into one.
The teams combined for 20 runs through the first eight innings. La Crosse took leads of 4-1 and 6-2, fell behind 8-6, took a 10-8 lead and Brainerd tied it with two runs in the eighth, sending the game deep into the night.
The Loggers had the bases loaded with one out in the 10th before Cole White grounded into a double play. In the 15th, they had runners on second and third with one out before a failed suicide squeeze killed the rally's momentum.
Meanwhile, Brainerd grounded into four double plays after the ninth inning.
Toole, the Loggers' fifth reliever, pitched six scoreless innings, from the 11th through 16th innings and Ross Jiskra pitched the 17th for the win.
Brainerd's Andy Dirks went 4-for-7 with a homer and three RBI and Eric Thames had four hits and two RBI. Thames has 40 RBI this season, tying him with Jason Louwsma (2005) for second on the club's single-season list.
CARLSEN LEAVING: Loggers pitching coach Chris Carlsen told the team after the game that he has been hired as an assistant on the baseball staff at Lewis University (Ill.) and will leave the Loggers staff immediately to prepare for his new job.
Carlsen was in his second season with La Crosse.
For more Loggers news, click here for Joel Badzinski's blog.
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