“These guys never quit,” said Karns City coach Tom Stewart. “It’s ugly, but somehow, someway they find out (how to win). It gives me gray hair. They just stay with it; they never die.”

The game opened with the Golden Knights scoring three runs on three Gremlins errors in the top of the first.

However, Gremlins starting pitcher Cameron Turner settled down to strike out the last two Union batters to hold the Gremlin’s deficit to three runs.

Turner gave up four hits, struck out five and allowed no earned runs in 6-1/3 innings pitched.

Karns City chipped into the Union lead in the bottom of the second when Green drilled an A.J. Ethriedge pitch over the left field wall for a solo home run.

Green was 1-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored.

“Brett definitely got a hold of that one,” said Stewart. “We were kind of flat being down 3-0 and that kind of gave us a spark and woke the team up.”

In the bottom of the fourth frame, the Gremlins closed to within one run when King got on base due to a Union error. King was replaced on first with courtesy runner Brad Fuhrer, who advanced to second on a balk and scored when the Golden Knights were trying to throw out Stefan Conto at first base. The ball sailed past the first baseman allowing Fuhrer to score.

The Gremlins tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Turner drew a lead-off walk and scored when Union left fielder Neil Scott misplayed a fly ball from Green.

Neither team was able to plate any runs in the seventh frame so the game headed into extra innings.

Union grabbed a one-run advantage in the top of the eighth when it loaded the bases with two out. Rich Corle struck out but King dropped the third strike allowing all Golden Knight runners to advance bringing home D.J. Ethriedge.

Saxon Parker drew a one-out walk in the Karns City portion of the eighth and scored two batters later when Green got to first on an error and stole second. Green scored one batter later when King ripped a shot to right field that gave Karns City the 5-4 win.

A.J. Ethriedge picked up the complete game loss, but he only allowed one earned run, struck out nine, and issued six walks.

“It wouldn’t matter whether (Turner or Ethriedge) would have lost this game,” said Union coach Doug Kriebel. “It would have been tough on either kid, unfortunately it was A.J.”

The loss drops Union to 6-5 on the season.

“This isn’t the first (close loss) we’ve had,” said Kriebel. “We’re a young team, and losses like this hopefully will help us in the future, but it’s not helping us right now.”