Photo by Samantha Davis. Minneota manager Austin Buysse (center) hi-fives Jack Lacek (8) after scoring the go-ahead run to break a tie in the seventh inning against Cottonwood Wednesday night at K.P. Kompelien Field. The Mudhens defeated the Cardinals 12-6.

MINNEOTA — In a matchup between the Land O’Duck Teal League’s top two teams, the Minneota Mudhens survived a Cottonwood comeback attempt behind a seventh-inning surge for a 12-6 victory Wednesday night at K.P. Kompelien Field, snapping the Cardinals’ four-game win streak.

“They [Cottonwood] did a good job responding,” Minneota manager Austin Buysse said. “We stuck with it. I’m really proud of our young pitcher, Brody Larson, for sticking with it and he did a good job. He closed us.”

Cottonwood overcame a 6-2 deficit with a four-run fifth inning to tie the game up, yet the Mudhens were able to find an answer behind six runs in the seventh to earn back a cushioned lead to prevail the rest of the way.

Once tied 6-6 after the fifth and a scoreless sixth inning, Minneota took advantage of late pitching struggles to embark on a six-run seventh inning to take its lead back.

“We were just thinking one spot at a time. That first pitch had to be our pitch, and if it wasn’t there, let it go and move on,” Austin said. “That worked for us, and we kind of got lucky there and took advantage of it. I’m glad the guys did that.”

Going through their entire batting lineup, Cottonwood made three pitching changes throughout the seventh while Minneota continued to keep all bases occupied.

Buysse scored the go-ahead run after hitting a double to center field, and advancing to third and home off the same wild pitch.

An Isaac Pohlen sacrifice fly allowed AJ Myhre to score to put the Mudhens up 8-6, while Tate Waleruis was given home off a balk. Keeping bases loaded, Brock Buysse scored off a wild pitch, while both Easton Greenwood and Larson were given home off walks for a six-run advantage, ultimately becoming the final score.

Minneota finished with 10 hits and one error, to Cottonwood’s nine hits and trio of errors.

Pitching-wise for the Mudhens, Myhre opened the first four innings and finished with five strikeouts, while allowing three walks and six earned runs.

Larson came in as relief for the final five innings, tossing eight strikeouts while allowing two walks and no runs for the save.

For Cottonwood, Wyatt Schuster spent a majority of the game on the mound with six innings. He finished with four strikeouts and no walks, while allowing five earned runs.

Forecasting a competitive matchup in the first meeting between the two teams this season, Cottonwood and Minneota occupied the first two spots in their division entering Wednesday. The Cardinals came in with a 6-1 league record while the Mudhens followed just behind at 5-2.

“Cottonwood has been playing great baseball, and we knew that coming in,” Austin said. “It was good to get a win here. There’s a lot of season left. Like I said, our goal is always to be in the top four.”

With Cottonwood up 2-1 after the first inning, Minneota scored five runs between the third and fourth to jump to a four-run edge, 6-2.

The Mudhens’ five runs came off a Walerius RBI single, who also stole home off a passed ball in the third. In the fourth, a Jack Lacek sac fly allowed Easton Greenwood to score from third, while Myhre hit a two-run RBI infield single to run in both Austin and Peyton Gillund off a Cottonwood defensive error throwing to first.

But, the Cardinals didn’t allow Minneota to hold its lead long as an Aaron Lienemaan trip to deep right field ran in Noah Jensen to spark Cottonwood’s fifth-inning comeback.

Lienemaan stole home off a wild pitch, while Seth Boerboom and Jacob Rausch were both walked.

With no outs, Cain Herigon hit a two-run RBI double on a fly ball to right field, allowing both Boerboom and Rausch to score and tie the game up 6-6.

Austin went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Mudhens, while Pohlen had a team-high two RBIs. Both Austin and Walerius each had a double on the night as well.

Lienemaan led the Cardinals going 3 for 5 at the plate, while Cain Herigon had a game-high four RBIs.

Minneota (7-2) will next look to keep the momentum going when it hosts the Dawson Drakes next Wednesday at 7:30 pm.

“It’s good to get the guy Fourth of July [off], get some time off before the stretch here,” Austin said. “We got four games left and then it’s playoffs, already crazy to believe. Hopefully, we can recharge our batteries a little bit, we got a lot of games coming up, so that we’ll be ready for them.”

Cottonwood (6-2) will look to bounce back when it travels to take on the Dumont Saints on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.