The first game lasted more than three hours, the second went extra innings and the celebration continued well into Thursday morning.

Wednesday was no regular day for the Casper Ghosts.

Now they're hoping the unusual outing translates into a shift in the standings.

"It was fun and wild and just a run of emotions," Casper manager Tony Diaz said before Thursday's game with the Idaho Falls Chukars. "But the resiliency was outstanding. We really wanted it bad.

"This could be a momentum-builder kind of victory."

A back-and-forth battle and a half-hour rain delay contributed to a three-hour, seven-inning loss in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader.

But things only got weirder in the nightcap, which didn't even start until after 10 p.m.

Scoreless through five innings, the game was cruising along until Idaho Falls took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning.

When Brandon Whitby hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh and would-be final inning, the doubleheader extended into a two-day affair.

"We finally got the breaks to go our way," Casper first baseman Chad Jacobsen said. "We've been in a lot of close games where we've had leads or been right in games where the breaks have gone the other way.

"We executed late and that's what it's about."

Jacobsen took over the role of first-base coach for the first time in the bottom of the ninth inning after Diaz was ejected in the top half of the frame for arguing a call on the field.

Hitting coach Jon Stone took over managerial duties and his decision to pinch hit paid off when Chandler Laurent entered the game and blasted a double to tie the game 3-3. Laurent scored the winning run three batters later.

"It was good, but most importantly good to get a win," Stone said. "We kind of messed up some things in the [eighth] inning with some baserunning issues, but we turned adversity into triumph.

"We always preach that to our guys. 'When you screw up, what do you do after you screw up?'"

With the 4-3 victory, the Ghosts made good on their second victory of their season after starting the year 1-7.

And they came back to Mike Lansing Field on Thursday with a renewed energy.

"That's the challenge of this game - you've got to take it one day at a time," Diaz said. "You have to have the energy daily, no matter what happens the day before."

With a change in both schedule and result, that task might have become just a little bit easier.

"This group has bounced back," Stone said. "I'm hoping [it'll turn things around]. I'm really hoping because I think that's what we needed, was a break.

"We were due for that because the first eight games, every mistake we made, the other team compensated. We were due for some good luck."

RAIN POSTPONES GAME: Thursday's game between Casper and Idaho Falls was postponed due to rain.

The teams will play a doubleheader today.

The first game will begin at 3:30 p.m. and the second will follow at 7 p.m.

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

GHOSTS TRACKER

THURSDAY: Idaho Falls at Casper, ppd.

SPEEDY RETURN: The Ghosts got a rare chance to sleep in after weather helped delay a doubleheader on Wednesday and players didn't leave Mike Lansing Field until the Thursday's early-morning hours.

HE SAID IT: "I'm hoping [it'll turn things around]. I'm really hoping because I think that's what we needed, was a break." - Casper hitting coach Jon Stone.

UP NEXT: The Chukars and Ghosts will close out their series with a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Mike Lansing Field.