The Greyhounds closed out their opening SPAMtown Challenge game with a bang in a 3-2 win over the Chaska Cubs at Marcusen Park in an amateur baseball game Friday.

The Greyhounds (3-10 overall) got a huge lift from Craig Braaten, who belted a walkoff solo homer to centerfield to start off the bottom of the seventh for the Hounds.

“I was looking for something up the middle that I could drive,” Braaten said. “I was seeing the ball pretty well tonight. I was looking for a first pitch fastball and I just happened to hit one out of the park.”

Braaten’s blast came shortly after Matt Cano drilled a two-out, two-run double to tie the game at 2 in the bottom of the sixth. The hit scored John Frein and Nick Rohne, who each walked.

“He was regrouping and he wanted to throw strikes,” Cano said. “I thought he was gonna work me away and he did. It was good to see a pitch on the inner half so I could drive it.”

Cano was thrown out at third on the double, but his hit gave the Greyhounds all the momentum they would need as their ace Dave Meyer struck out the side in the top of seventh inning.

“When we got Dave on the mound, we’ve got a chance against anybody in the state of Minnesota as long as we play defense,” Cano said. “Chaska’s one of the better team’s in the state.”

Meyer struck out seven and walked none in the win.

The Cubs (16-5 overall) held the Hounds to just two hits in the first five innings, as their pitcher, Craig Gralapp started off strong.

“We struggled the first few innings,” Cano said. “Their pitcher did a good job of mixing up his pitches.”

Braaten’s game winning home run was similar to his two-run homer against the Wildcats Thursday at Marcusen. Both went to center field.

“There’s something with these balls, they just kind of jump out of here,” he said.

The Hounds will take on Eagle Lake at 8 a.m. Saturday at Marcusen and they will play Brookings Saturday at approximately 7:15 p.m. at Marcusen.

If the Hounds win both those games, they will win their pool and play in the semifinals Sunday at noon.

Hounds 3, Cubs 2

Greyhounds pitching: Dave Meyer (W), 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 HBP, 7 K

Greyhounds hitting: Mitch Mullenbach, 1-of-3; Nick Rohne, 0-of-2, R, BB; Matt Cano, 1-of-3, double, 2 RBIs; Craig Braaten, 1-of-3, HR, RBI, R; Matt Raso, 1-of-2; Tim Kaplan, 0-of-2; Dan Wiechmann, 0-of-2; Nick Bowe, 0-of-2; John Frein, 0-of-1, BB

Cubs pitching: Craig Gralapp (L), 6 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 1 K

Cubs hitting: Chris Brown, 0-of-3; Tony Lane, 0-of-3; Eric Welter, 0-of-3; Ryan Seifert, 2-of-3, HR, double, RBI; Cass Mosley, 1-of-3, RBI; Benji Borner, 0-of-2; Cory Poppitz, 0-of-2; Troy Harlander, 1-of-3; Eric Oscarson, 1-of-3