Dickinson, ND- The Badlands Big Sticks lose their opening game of the 2nd half against the Willmar Stingers 13-5 after giving up a 9 run 8th inning.

After Nico Senese hit a solo homer to start the 3rd, Cole Tabor slammed a RBI double to tie the game. The Sticks took the lead in the 5th on a Kaden Carpenter 2 RBI single into left field. The Stingers tied the game up in the 7th on an Andrew Sojka 2 RBI single to left. Sojka ended the night on with 4 hits, 4 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases. The Sticks retook the lead in the bottom of the 7th. Tabor continued to have a great debut game and hit a solo homer over the right field scoreboard. He ended the night with a 3 RBIs and 3 hits, including two doubles.

The Big Sticks lost control of the game in the 8th. Sojka hit another 2 RBI single to start the rally off. Jessada Brown followed up with a 2 RBI single of his own. Max Buettenback scored Brown on a double. Even with a pitching change, the Stingers continued to strike. Rhett Stokes hit a RBI single into left field to score Buettenback. Finally, the last runs in the inning came on a Dariel Osoria 3-run homer into right field. They added another solo homer from Buettenback in the top of 9th and Tabor batted in one last run for the Sticks in the bottom half

The Sticks face Willmar again tomorrow with the first pitch being thrown at 6:35.