GLADSTONE — The Superior Central Cougars played the role of the opportunist here Wednesday in a 7-5 baseball victory over the Gladstone Braves.

Gladstone committed eight errors on Parents’ Night, including three in the fourth inning when the Cougars scored five times to take a 7-4 lead.

Winning pitcher Hayden Rockhill brought the Cougars (7-9) within a run on a wild pitch.

Lucas Swetich tied the score on Paavo Mannisto’s single to leftfield. Mannisto then scored the go-ahead run on a fielding error.

The Cougars then extended their lead to three on a two-run double to center.

“We’ve been struggling this year,” said Cougars’ coach Walt Smith. “We had a late start and injuries like we haven’t had before, although we’re not using that as an excuse. We’ve been inconsistent. One night we can beat anybody, and the next night anybody can beat us. We’ve been trying not to pay too much attention to our record. We’re trying to build for the (Division 3) district.”

Gladstone got a run back in the sixth when Braden Sundquist lofted a two-out single which landed between two infielders near the pitcher’s mound.

The Braves, however, ended the game by leaving the bases loaded.

“I don’t know how we missed that one,” said Smith. “It looked like our pitcher brushed everyone away. The second-baseman should have called for it, but at least we won the game.”

Superior Central’s Zach Frusti opened the scoring on an error in the first.

Gladstone tied the score on Cam Kelly’s sacrifice fly to center in its half of the inning, and Casey Alworden gave the Braves a 2-1 lead on a botched pickoff in the second.

The Cougars tied the score at two on Dakota Maki’s infield single in the third.

Gladstone regained the lead on Alworden’s bunt single, and Kelly made it 4-2 on a wild pitch in its half of the third.

Rockhill struck out the side in the fourth. He fanned 11, walked five and hit a batter through five frames.

Brennan Detiege pitched four innings and took the loss. He whiffed two, walked three and gave up seven runs on five hits.

“Brennan pitched well, but he didn’t get any help,” said Braves coach Joe Darmogray. “Our heads weren’t in the game. You need to come ready to play every night. It seems like in the last four games we started good, then we started throwing the ball around. It’s very upsetting. Credit to Superior Central. They took advantage of everything we gave them.”

The Cougars collected six hits and committed one error. Maki led their offense with two hits.

Gladstone had five hits, including three by Sundquist.

The Braves, who won the jayvee game 11-5, played at Iron Mountain Thursday. They resume with a make-up game at Menominee Saturday. The Cougars travel to North Central for a doubleheader Tuesday.