Backus Walks off Boulders in Suspended Game Before New York Takes Nightcap
FL Down East Bird Dawgs

Backus Walks off Boulders in Suspended Game Before New York Takes Nightcap

Published on July 9, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Down East Bird Dawgs News Release


Colby Backus of the Down East Bird Dawgs circles the bases
Colby Backus of the Down East Bird Dawgs circles the bases
(Down East Bird Dawgs)

KINSTON, N.C. - Colby Backus delivered a walk-off two-run single to complete a dramatic bottom-of-the-ninth rally in the resumed suspended game before the New York Boulders took the seven-inning nightcap 7-5 in the game that followed, leaving the Bird Dawgs with a 2-1 series lead at 25-29 after a wild evening at Historic Grainger Stadium.

Game One (Resumed)

After more than 24 hours on pause with New York leading 7-5, the Bird Dawgs came to bat in the bottom of the ninth needing two runs to tie. Ali LaPread drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to one before Backus lined a walk-off two-run single to complete the stunning 8-7 comeback.

The suspended game had been a back-and-forth affair, with New York jumping out to a 3-0 lead on RBI groundouts from John Schroeder and Norris McClure in the first and a McClure RBI double in the fourth.

The Bird Dawgs chipped away as Kalae Harrison launched a solo homer and Jacob Corson drove in a run on a fielder's choice to make it 3-2.

The Boulders extended the lead to 5-2 in the fifth before Harrison answered with a two-run single to cut it to 5-4.

Harrison tied it again in the seventh with an RBI single to knot it at 5-5 before the Boulders broke through in the top of the ninth on a Jimmy Costin wild pitch and a Jason Agresti RBI single to take the 7-5 lead that forced the suspension.

Drew Henderson started for Down East, allowing five runs on 10 hits over six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Tanner Duncan (2-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits over one inning.

Emmitt Bice started for New York, allowing four runs on four hits over 4â..." innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Tyler Vail (2-1) took the loss, surrendering the walk-off in the ninth.

Game Two

The Bird Dawgs grabbed an early lead in the seven-inning nightcap when Trotter Harlan hit an RBI groundout in the second, but the Boulders took control with seven unanswered runs.

Kyle Hess hit a solo homer in the fourth, Santino Rosso singled in a run in the fifth, Aaron Simmons added a two-run homer and Hess connected for his second home run of the game before New York added their final runs in the seventh to lead 7-1.

Backus gave Down East one final jolt with a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to cut it to 7-5, but the Bird Dawgs could not complete another comeback.

Rolando Heredia-Bustos (2-5) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on nine hits over 6â..." innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Jordan Saviñon started for New York, allowing one run on one hit over two innings with two walks. Jason Masick (1-0) earned the win, tossing one scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

The Bird Dawgs (25-29) lead the series 2-1 and look to extend their advantage Friday, July 10, at 7 p.m. ET at Historic Grainger Stadium.

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Colby Backus of the Down East Bird Dawgs circles the bases
Colby Backus of the Down East Bird Dawgs circles the bases
   



Frontier League Stories from July 9, 2026


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