A 3-run home run by Charlie Peyla in the sixth inning helped lift the Junction City Brigade past the Topeka Golden Giants 7-5 in game two of the Cowdin Cup championship series at Rathert Field. It tied the series at one game apiece, with one more remaining to be played.

An unusual play preceded Peyla’s home run. He hit a foul ball that was caught near the Golden Giants dugout on the first base side of the field. Peyla returned to the dugout, but after conferring with one another the umpires ruled Peyla was not out and he returned to the plate. On the next pitch he hit his home run to take Junction City from a 3-1 deficit at that point of the game to a 4-3 lead.

Brigade Head Coach Seth Wheeler stated it was “kind of a weird play.It was the first time in five years I’d seen it.”  Wheeler added they review ground rules before every game. ” Our ground rules are that our dugout kind of extends toward the plate a little bit. The catcher goes over and it’s a complete judgement call by the umpire. So their judgement was that he was in what was considered the dugout when he caught it. He caught it and on the next step he hit cement. ”

Wheeler added in his view that probably means where the dugout extends out probably means the Golden Giant catcher was in it. “So I think they got the call right, weird play, first time in five years first time I’ve seen it, and it just happened to work to our advantage tonight.” Wheeler has been either a player or coach for the Brigade for the past five years.

Junction City jumped out later to a 6-3 lead before the Golden Giants climbed back to within 6-5 in the top of the eighth inning. The Brigade then tacked on one final run in the bottom of the eighth.

The two teams conclude their series with one final game Saturday night in Topeka. It begins at 6 p.m.at the Lake Shawnee Sports Complex. The winner will be the Cowdin Cup champion, the top team in the Mid Plains League this season.