You had to see it to believe it.

And even the people who did witness the Storm’s 11-run comeback in the fourth and fifth innings of their Houk League game against the River Dogs on June 15 at Holcom were still shaking their heads in disbelief after the last out.

It was a game to remember with two teams battling until well after 10 p.m. under the glow of the ballpark lights.

After three innings, the River Dogs were ahead, 10-0. But the Storm came roaring back in the fourth inning, coming up with eight runs of their own.

Then, with two outs in the top of the fifth and final inning, Winston Heilman stepped to the plate with the score 10-9 in favor of the River Dogs. Thomas Sidor and William Morain were on base, representing the tying and winning runs for the Storm.

Storm pitcher Evan Taylor prepares to throw between innings during a June 15 game against the River Dogs at Holcom. The Storm defeated the River Dogs, 11-10.

With the game on the line, Heilman delivered a clutch single to center field, scoring Sidor and Morain and putting his team up by a run.

After the game, Heilman said he felt nervous in the situation, but never lost his concentration.

“I knew if I struck out, we’d lose the game,” Heilman said. “I was just trying to win the game for my team.”

The hard-throwing Tyler Click pitched brilliantly in the final two innings of the game for the Storm, recording five strikeouts and holding the River Dogs scoreless, preserving the improbable comeback.

The River Dogs got on the board quickly in the first inning, when Aaron Bernhardt singled to bring home Taylor Seratte. Bernhardt and Tyler Bailey also scored in the inning as the River Dogs took a 3-0 lead.

The River Dogs followed up with seven runs in the second inning. Mitch Whitson led the way, crushing a run-scoring triple to left field. Matt Goering, Josh Montgomery, Bernhardt and Bailey also drove in runs during the big inning.

After scoreless third innings by both teams, the stage was set for the Storm rally.

After the first few Storm batters reached base and on a series of walks and errors in the fourth inning, Sidor hit a triple, clearing the bases and making the score 10-4. Morain followed with a single, and Heilman hit a triple to score Morain. Timothy Stubbs also singled in the inning, and after he came around to score, the Storm trailed by just two runs, 10-8.

Evan Taylor provided some daring baserunning to spark the Storm comeback in the fifth inning. After reaching base on a walk, Taylor stole second and third bases. Then, on an errant throw to third base, Taylor took off for the plate, sliding in and just beating the throw. His run was greeted by an eruption of cheers from the Storm dugout and their rooting section.

River Dogs player Aaron Bernhard, left, waits on deck while teammate Taylor Seratte stands in at the plate during a Houk League game against the Storm on June 15 at Holcom. The Storm won the game, 11-10.

Heilman took care of the rest with his game-winning hit, and after Click got through the bottom of the inning the Storm were the unlikely victors.

The River Dogs were gracious in defeat.

“Hats off to the Storm for a great comeback,” head coach Rick Whitson said.

The two teams meet again Saturday, June 18, in a rematch where the River Dogs will be looking for revenge.

“We had a tough game,” said interim River Dogs coach Brad Bernhardt. “We played hard, and we just got beat. We’ll come back and get them Saturday.”

Storm coach Kenneth Click was still slightly overwhelmed with the thrill of the comeback after the game.

“They just buckled down and did what they had to do,” Click said before going to deliver a speech to his team.