In a VFW-Jr. Bi-County crossover baseball game, Sleepy Eye scored five runs in the sixth to break a 9-all tie and went on to win 14-10.

Jalen Brandl pitched three innings in relief for Sleepy Eye and got the win, allowing one hit and one walk for three unearned runs while striking out six.

Anden Braun got the start and went two innings in a no decision. While he didn’t get the win on the mound, Braun made up for it with his bat as he went 3 for 4 with five RBIs.

Brandl led the way at the plate for Sleepy Eye, going 4 for 5 with an RBI, while Mason Mathiowetz was 1 for 4 with a two-run double.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Essig Junior Bi-County’s Kevin Escalante runs home during a VFW-Jr. Bi-County crossover baseball game against Sleepy Eye VFW at Essig Ballpark on Tuesday evening.

Will Finstad got the start on the hill for Essig and received the no decision.

Korbin Olson was 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs to lead Essig, while Ethan Lodes was 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs, Kevin Escalante was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and an RBI and Eli Pyan was 1 for 5 with a two-run double.

Essig battled back to tie it at 9-9 thanks to a four-run fourth and a two-run fifth inning, but Sleepy Eye responded with its second six-run inning of the day in the sixth. After a leadoff walk to Caiden Helget, who took three walks in the game, Alex Armbruster was hit by a pitch to put two on. A sac bunt attempt by Carsten Nienhaus was scooped up but fired off the mark to first for an error, allowing the go-ahead run to come home.

A popout got the first out of the inning, but Sleepy Eye continued to add to its run total after Armbruster scored on a passed ball. Cooper Walter walked and another passed ball scored Nienhaus for a 12-9 Sleepy Eye lead. Brandl singled in another run for a 13-9 lead before a walk by Mathiowetz and an RBI single by Braun gave Sleepy Eye the 14-10 lead.

Essig got one run back in the seventh on a passed ball to score Brody Wendorff, but a groundout and flyout ended the game shortly after.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Sleepy Eye VFW’s Mason Mathiowetz prepares to throw to first while shortstop Jalen Brandl hits the ground to clear the way during a VFW-Jr. Bi-County crossover baseball game at Essig Ballpark on Tuesday evening.

Sleepy Eye struck right away in the first for three runs off Finstad, with a leadoff walk to Walter starting the game. Walter finished 1 for 3 with two walks. After the walk, back-to-back errors load the bases for Braun, who singled to right for a 2-0 lead.

Finstad got a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but another error after a stolen base allowed Mathiowetz to trot home for a 3-0 lead.

Essig left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first but made up for it in the second by tying the game. After a one-out walk to Wendorff, Escalante doubled to move him to third and score Olson, who walked to lead off. Another double, this time from Pyan, tied the game at 3-all.

Sleepy Eye put six runs on the board in the fourth, led by Mathiowetz’s line-drive double to center field to score two runs. Braun followed that big hit with a two-run single to make it a 7-3 game before an error scored two more runs for a 9-3 Sleepy Eye lead.

Essig got four runs back in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. After a wild pitch scored Wendorff, Lodes doubled in a run to make it a 9-5 game. Nolan Henderson and Easton Rohlik were hit by pitches to load the bases for Olson, who singled in both runners to make it 9-7.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Essig Junior Bi-County second baseman Eli Pyan makes a catch in shallow right field in front of right fielder Korbin Olson during a VFW-Jr. Bi-County crossover baseball game against Sleepy Eye VFW at Essig Ballpark on Tuesday evening.

Essig tied it in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Lodes.

Sleepy Eye hosts Madelia Junior Legion at 6 p.m. Wednesday, while Essig White plays Essig Blue on Monday before preparing for Jr. Bi-County playoffs, which begin July 9.