Todd Rose | Daily Press Superior Central’s Parker Maki winds up a pitch as first baseman Blake Walther focuses on the batter against the Bark River-Harris Broncos May 25 in Bark River.

BARK RIVER — When the first pitch was thrown by Nick Javurek Wednesday night in Bark River, fans were settling in for two games of baseball between the Superior Central Cougars and Bark River-Harris Broncos.

However, 11 innings later — enough for almost two games — the Cougars were victorious 10-3 in what turned into a single game contest.

“… It was exciting the whole time. One of the best high school games I’ve ever been a part of, really,” said Cougars coach Walter Smith. “What I liked to see was nobody collapsed on either side, really.

“We ended up getting some really big hits there in the end, and our games came through. Before that, it was a little frustrating. We barrelled up some baseballs in those extra innings.”

Hayden Rockwill started on the mound for the Cougars and pitched six innings. He had nine strikeouts with five walks. He gave up four hits for two earned runs.

Parker Maki came in to start the seventh and closed the game for Superior Central. Maki had fanned four with a pair of walks and allowed six hits for one earned run.

Maki was credited with the win.

Javurek started for the Broncos and pitched five. In his time on the mound, he had two strikeouts and four walks. Off of six allowed hits, Javurek gave up two earned runs.

Travis Mack (three strikeouts, four walks, six allowed hits for four runs (3 ER)) came in after Javurek and also threw for five with an added third of an inning.

Closing the game for Bark River was Max Hall.

The five pitchers combined for 413 throws from the mound. Rockwill (104) and Mack (105) each broke 100 with Javurek just behind at 96. Maki threw 78 and Hall 30.

Up until the eighth inning, the score was tied at two. With two outs, Parker Maki singled to right field to bring Billy Crisp home and make it 3-2.

The Broncos answered back, though, in their half of the inning as Javurek doubled and ushered Keaton Bartozek across the plate.

Isaac Ives — the would-be winning run — was tagged out on his way to the plate by Cougars catcher Kyle Frusti.

The game stayed tied for another two innings when the Cougars opened up a barrage of hits with runners on in the 11th to score seven runs and win the game.

“My hat’s off to everybody involved in the game,” said Smith.

Broncos coach Al Botwright commented that the game may be one of the longest he’s been a part of.

“Since we transitioned (from nine-inning games) to doubleheaders and six or seven-inning games, I’ve never seen one go that long,” Botwright said.

With Javurek coming out after 96 and Mack throwing to his limit, Botwright brought Hall into the game in less than ideal circumstances.

“(Mack) had to come out. I had no choice even though he was pitching well,” Botwright said. “It was a tough spot to put Max Hall in with bases loaded and one out. You never want to do that, but it was the only choice I had.”

While the Cougars play Manistique today, the Broncos’ regular season comes to a close with a district opener against North Central set for June 4.

“We got graduation and things like that coming up for our seniors this week and various activities associated with that time of year,” Botwright said. “Time is going to go very fast prior to June 4, so we’re going to do our best to be ready for that Friday.”