Bendigo looked set to suffer a shock defeat when Traralgon cruised to 2-130 in reply to Bendigo’s total of 8-220.

Bendigo’s bowlers, led by Ben DeAraugo, produced a stunning fightback, claiming Traralgon’s final eight wickets for just 44 runs.

The collapse allowed Bendigo to face five overs in its second innings and Brayden Stepien, Adam Ward and Adrian Pappin took full advantage.

The trio helped Bendigo smash 2-67 off 30 balls, including seven sixes. Pappin’s unbeaten 29 included four sixes in the final over of the day.

“The second innings big hitting just capped off a great day,’’ Bendigo coach Matt Pinniger said.

“Today just shows how quickly cricket can change when you have two good teams going at it.

“Traralgon worked themselves into a strong position, but we stuck at it and it’s always difficult chasing.

“I was really proud that the boys never dropped their heads. We kept chipping away and we got the result.”

DeAraugo put the clamps on Traralgon in the middle stages of its innings.

His spell of 1-18 off 10 overs, in combination with Cam Taylor’s 2-39 off nine overs, helped turn the game in Bendigo’s favour.

Paceman Richard Tibbett bowled with the fire in his second spell and he cleaned up the Traralgon tail, taking 3-22.

Ben Devanny impressed in his first game of the week, taking 2-27 off seven overs, while Adam Burns claimed 2-37.

Earlier in the day, 17-year-old Stepien made his second half-century of the carnival to set up Bendigo’s total of 8-220.

Stepien made 61 off 75 balls, combining with Ben Gunn (34 off 50 balls) for an opening stand of 68.

In a repeat of its batting on day one, Bendigo failed to capitalise on its bright start.

Nine of the 10 batsman used reached double figures, but Stepien was the only one to pass 35.

Devanny (26) and Taylor (20) made starts, but fell when they looked set to go on with it.

DeAraugo  (21 not out) played a valuable innings at the end.

"You're always reasonably happy when you score more than 200, but we probably still finished 15 or 20 short of what we'd hoped,’’ Pinniger said of Bendigo’s batting.

"It was similar to yesterday where we slowed down through the middle and panicked a bit.

“It’s something we need to improve on tomorrow.”

The victory moved Bendigo into second place, affectively 31 runs behind Sale-Maffra on the ladder.

Bendigo plays winless Bairnsdale at Melton on Wednesday.  A third-straight win would put Bendigo in a strong position to qualify for Friday’s grand final.

The match of the day on Wednesday is Sale-Maffra versus Geelong at Bayswater. Mornington plays Murray Valley at Croydon and South West takes on Traralgon at Elsternwick Park.

Ladder after day two: Sale-Maffra 33.30, Bendigo 32.99, Geelong 21.65, Mornington 21.23, Traralgon 19.79, Murray Valley 19.46, Bairnsdale 6.62, South West 6.58.

Tuesday's results: Bendigo 8-220 and 2-67 d Traralgon 174; Sale-Maffra 290 d Mornington 9-249, Murray Valley 6-236 d Bairnsdale 125. Geelong 8-275 and 6-126 d South West 93.