Elks erase four-run deficit in road opener win at Springfield

Easton Amundson’s two-run blast sparked the Elks comeback victory. (Sage Young)

Springfield, OR - The Bend Elks erased an early four-run deficit by scoring five unanswered runs over the final three frames to complete an emphatic 7-5 comeback win Friday over Springfield in the series opener at Hamlin Sports Complex.

Despite being road tested for the first time this season, Bend (3-4, 3-4)  rose to the occasion with clutch performances by Easton Amundson, Vinny Salvione and Isaiah Burke to snap its four game losing streak.

Springfield (2-5, 2-5) jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first three innings, but Amundson cut that deficit in half with a mammoth blast off the top of the scoreboard in right-center field. It was Amundson's first homer in an Elks uniform after launching seven long balls with the Wenatchee AppleSox last season.

Amundson drove in another run on an RBI rope to the right field gap as part of a two-spot sixth for the Elks that minimized Springfield's lead to just one run of separation.

With the Elks trailing by a tally and two outs in the eighth, Salvione slapped an RBI single to left to even the game at five apiece. But the Bend didn't just come this far just to come this far.

The very next at-bat, Burke broke through for the Elks with a one-run base hit that gave Bend its first lead in four games. 

Reid Madariaga (2-0) made sure the Elks would not relinquish that advantage, retiring 10 of the 13 Drifters he faced en route to securing his second win of the season. 

Salvione and Burke each had three-hit games, combining to account for half of the Elks' 12 hits. 

Bend will look to complete its second series win of the season on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. against Springfield. Make sure to tune into all the action on Bend Elks Mixlr.