KINSTON, N.C. (September 1, 2026) – Kalae Harrison delivered a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to cap a three-RBI night and lift the Down East Bird Dawgs to a 7-6 victory over the Evansville Otters at Historic Grainger Stadium Tuesday night, taking the series opener and improving to 46-51 on the season.

Stephen DiTomaso got the Bird Dawgs started with a leadoff homer in the first before Evansville answered with three runs in the third on a T.J. Salvaggio RBI double and a Marcos Gonzalez two-run homer to take a 3-1 lead.

Down East responded immediately in the bottom half as Harrison doubled in a run, Lyle Miller-Green scored on a double play, and Colby Backus singled in another to reclaim the lead at 4-3.

LG Castillo tied it for Evansville with an RBI fielder's choice in the fifth before Tyler Blaum's go-ahead single in the sixth, and Harrison's solo homer in the seventh pushed the advantage to 6-4.

Mark Black tied it again with a two-run double in the eighth to make it 6-6 before Harrison ended it with his second home run of the night in the ninth to set the final at 7-6.

Jace Miner started for Down East, allowing four runs on three hits over 4⅔ innings with three strikeouts and four walks. Tanner Duncan (4-1) earned the win, allowing two hits and no runs in the ninth.

Landon Willeman started for Evansville, allowing six runs on 10 hits over 6⅓ innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Joe Morrissey (1-2) took the loss, surrendering the walk-off homer in the ninth.

The Bird Dawgs (46-51) look to take the series Wednesday, September 2, at 7 p.m. ET at Historic Grainger Stadium.