The Boulders entered Thursday’s meeting with the Champions tied for the Can-Am League lead. They would remain at the top, but not before three hours of wild baseball.

Things looked good for Rockland in the top of the first after singles from Dylan Tice, Cody Regis and Joe Maloney, however they would fail to get on the board. Tice was gunned out at the plate and Ottawa ace Austin Chrismon fanned Jared McDonald to retire the side.

Boulders starter Chris Carmain posted a solid bottom half before getting shelled in the second. Steve Brown went yard to start the inning, Matt Helms drove in Tyson Gillies on a single to right, Gustavo Pierre scored on a Tyler Nordgren double play and Daniel Bick brought home Daniel Grauer on a single.

Carmain would go another three innings and conclude with six hits, four earned runs, six strikeouts and three walks. The Champions hung onto the 4-0 advantage and added another run off Tommy Lawrence in the sixth. Base hits from Grauer and Helms led to a Bick RBI fielder’s choice.

In the seventh, Rockland had enough of the beatdown and began narrowing the deficit. Alex Herceg hit a slow grounder to third and Pierre threw the ball away to score Aaron Wilson. Chrismon’s night would end after the inning. He finished with seven hits, one unearned run, four strikeouts and two walks.

The eighth was an inning to remember for the Boulders as they exploded for six runs against Ottawa’s pen. McDonald, Mike Montville and Wilson each had an RBI while Tice hit a three-run blast to put Rockland up 7-5. Raydel Sanchez, Adam Eggnatz and Garrett Cortright were responsible for the damage.

Boulders reliever Matt Kostalos produced a one-two-three bottom half before Jon Velasquez took the hill in the ninth. The closer found himself in an early hole with two on and nobody out, but he dug out of it and allowed only one run for the 7-6 victory.

Rockland will take on the Champions tomorrow at RCGT Park for the middle game of the series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.