WILLMAR, Minn. – The Willmar Stingers got back into the win column Friday evening led by Josh Bissonette (Baylor) and Myles Smith (Georgia Gwinnett). Their 6-5 victory over the Loggers puts them at 12-12 on the season.

Bissonette went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs. His double in the third inning got him in scoring position for Nolan Bumstead (CS-Northridge), who drove him in moments later.

By the fifth inning, the Stingers were up 5-1 when the Loggers scored four to tie it up.

Three innings later, Bissonette scored the winning run, driven in by Danny Rodriguez (Bethune-Cookman) on a sacrifice fly. Rodriguez now has seven RBI in the last six games.

His sacrifice put the Stingers ahead by a run, leaving the responsibility on the Stingers' bullpen to hold the Loggers scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Smith performed well out of the bullpen once again, going 2 2/3 innings and retiring eight of the nine batters he faced. His only base runner was a walk in his first win of the season. 

Alex Reyes (New Mexico State) then came in and recorded his third save of the season.

Today's Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Josh Bissonette. CDI is your local medical imaging provider. It’s your choice where you go for medical imaging, for MRI, CT, mammograms and pain injections, choose CDI. Visit online at myCDI.com/CentralMN.

The Stingers return to the road for the second of the home-and-home in La Crosse tomorrow at Copeland Park. You can listen live for free at WillmarStingers.com. First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. 

Jake Rothwell (Daytona State) is expected to start Saturday evening for the Stingers.

The 2017 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers, visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.