And boy did they give the fans their money’s worth.

A strange game early turned into what looked like a major collapse before ending up as a dramatic comeback as Triton plated four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning after allowing seven in the top half to win 10-9.

The Class 1A second-ranked Trojans played earlier this season at another minor league ballpark – the Steel Yard in Gary – and have aspirations of finishing the year at the home of the AAA Indianapolis Indians – Victory Field – site of the high school state championship games.

For now, Triton is just going to enjoy its 20th win of the season.

“This is what we do,” Triton head coach Mark Elliott said to his club before watching the Trojans come back for the fifth time this season after trailing in the final inning.

Through six innings, Triton wasn’t exactly tearing the cover off the ball, but was able to scratch together six runs as LaVille was guilty of eight of its nine errors during that time. Meanwhile, the Lancers had 10 hits by that point, but only two runs. In fact, LV led off the first and second innings with two hits and the fourth with three straight hits, but only mustered one run combined through that stretch.

“That was huge,” admitted Elliott. “LaVille can hit. Their record might not look great, but they can hit the ball. They had guys on base all day long. Credit them for how they approached the game offensively. It felt like it was just a matter of time before they were going to get some big hits.”

Things turned in the top half of the seventh – for both teams. After the first batter struck out, Drew Bingamon was two outs away from a complete-game victory while not allowing an earned run. A bad-hop single by Lucas Underwood was followed by an RBI double by Brayden Schwitz though and Elliott lifted Bingamon.

“He was under 100 pitches, but they were at the heart of their order that had been hitting him hard all day so my thought process was to try and change the pace, maybe catch them on their front foot,” said the Triton boss. 

After the senior Bingamon went 6.1 innings without walking a batter (he’s only walked six all season), sophomore relievers Jadyn Prater and Blake Ousley walked three and hit one over the next five at-bats to score two runs. No. 9 batter Preston Eickleberry then hit a clutch two-out single to drive in two more runs and the Lancers miraculously led, 7-6. Leadoff batter Andre Gonzales then doubled to drive in another pair before a flyout finally ended the frame. The damage? Seven runs on just four hits and a 9-6 lead as LV was about to steal the game.

The Nos. 6-8 batters were scheduled to bat in the bottom half for the designated home team Triton. After a walk and LV’s ninth error, Brayden Gunnels stroked an RBI single to cut the lead to 9-7. No. 9 batter Trey Tarlton then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, so perfect that it went for an infield hit and the bases were loaded with no out.

Bingamon hit a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to one, then Levi McFarland executed a perfect squeeze bunt to knot the score at 9-all. With two outs and Tarlton at second base, Braxton Kaufman then hit a hard grounder that took a terrible bounce off the face of LV second baseman Landon Swihart and Tarlton was able to score the winning run.

“After giving up seven runs in the top of the 7th, every team is going to quit,” said Elliott. “These guys know that they’ve come back before in that situation, even with the bottom of the order coming up. They found a way to get on base for the top of the order and we won the game.”

McFarland, Kaufman (2 RBIs) and Max Johnson (triple) each had two hits for the Trojans. Gunnels had two RBIs.

Eight different players had hits for the Lancers, led by Kyler Christy (double) and Gonzales (2 RBIs) with three each. Underwood and Braedyn Foster each had two. Caleb Howard had 2 RBIs as well.

Triton will take on Northridge from the NLC on Thursday while LaVille’s will have to bounce back quickly as its next contest is today at Rochester.

• TRITON 10, LAVILLE 9

At South Bend (Four Winds Field)

LaVille 001 001 7 –   9 14 9

Triton   111 021 4 – 10 10 2

Brayden Schwitz, Lucas Underwood (6, L), and Preston Eickleberry; Drew Bingamon, Jadyn Prater (7), Blake Ousley (7, W) and Max Johnson.

2B: Christy (LV), Schwitz (LV), Gonzales (LV)

3B: Johnson (T)

Records: Triton 20-3, LaVille 7-15