CRESTLINE — For most of the game, it appeared the Crestline Bulldogs were in complete control.

But Mansfield Christian never stopped coming back, rallying from 3-0 and 4-1 deficits before scoring three times in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 6-6.

Crestline, however, responded in the bottom of the frame.

The Bulldogs’ Bryson Winemiller ripped a bases-loaded single to score the winning run in a 7-6 Crestline win.

With the win, the Bulldogs completed a sweep of the Flames and improved to 3-2 on the season.

Mansfield Christian fell to 0-6 but Christian coach Cory Branham said that his team has had chemistry problems all year.

“We had a few guys out this week on a National Honor Society trip, so we haven’t had the same nine guys out there for an extended period all year,” Branham said. “This is only our sixth game.

“A lot of other teams have played nine or ten games,” he added.

Crestline coach Mitch Sellers said that this is a different Bulldogs team from the one a year ago.

“You gotta be happy with the win,” Sellers said. “Bryson came through with a big hit at the end. But I’m happy with the boys. Going from a one-win team last year to win three off the bat is pretty spectacular.”

The Bulldogs controlled the game throughout. Crestline starter Austin Henson permitted just two hits over five innings, but the Flames scored twice in the fourth cutting the Crestline lead to 3-2.

The Bulldogs scored three times in the first two innings without the benefit of a hit.

Crestline increased the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the frame on hits from Adam Burton and Henson.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth. Christian got a run-scoring single from Josh Hillman and Crestline responded with an RBI single from Quentin Kapp.

Entering the seventh, Crestline held a 6-3 lead.

Christian used a Brock Rentzel single and a huge throwing error that scored two runs to tie the game at 6-6.

But the Bulldogs were not easily deterred. A walk to Braydon Winemiller, a single from Hunter Ferrell and an intentional walk loaded the bases for Winemiller, who lined a single to right center, scoring his brother with the winning run.

“It’s that grit we’ve been missing in the last few years,” Sellers said of his team’s response. “I think it’s one of things that, with age, especially with our boys, we get tougher, and we don’t give up. I couldn’t be more proud of the boys and what they overcame.

“Things didn’t always go our way, but we didn’t let it get us down and kept fighting,” he added.

Mansfield Christian reliever Lincoln Day was the hard-luck loser, but Branham said that he is the lynchpin of his team.

“Our relief pitcher, Lincoln Day; he’s just a guy the team rallies around,” Branham said. “Our starting pitcher, Brock (Rentzel), did a good job of keeping it close. Lincoln is a guy the team works hard for, and it carried over to the bats.”

Box score

Christian    000 201 3       6       4       2

Crestline    120 201 1       7       5       3

WP: Caydin Jarvis (2 SO, 2 W)

LP: Lincoln Day (2 SO, 2 W)

HR: None.

Triples: None.

Doubles: (MC) Brock Rentzel.

Multiple hits: (MC) Brock Rentzel.

Records: Mansfield Christian 0-6; Crestline 3-2.

Next: Northside Christian at Mansfield Christian, Saturday; Lucas at Crestline, Thursday.