The Badlands Big Sticks split their home opener series against the reigning Great Plains West Division Champs, Willmar Stingers dropping the opener 4-2 on Monday. The Big Sticks got their redemption on Tuesday, winning 8-4 amid two crooked-number innings of 4 runs. 

In the opener, the Stingers started with a 2-spot in the top of the 1st inning, courtesy of a two-out RBI double off the bat of Cal St Northridge product, Matthew Pena. No surprise for a team that led the Northwoods League last season in batting average, doubles, and many other offensive categories.

The Big Sticks responded in the bottom of the 6th with a two-out double from Coy DeFury (Texas St) and followed by a game-tying two-run homer from Troy Berg (Augustana University).

The Big Sticks got a taste of their own medicine when Willmar got a two-run blast of their own in the top of the 8th inning from Jameson Martin from (University of Minnesota), which was the difference in the game. 

The Big Sticks in the bottom of the 8th and 9th innings had two runners on with no outs, and both innings failed to cash in with runners in scoring position, leading to the 4-2 win for the Willmar Stingers.

Both starting pitchers in the opener were magnificent as Big Sticks starter Tanner Folds (Shorter University) went 7 innings, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, and 1 BB. The Stingers starter Ian Segna logged 6 innings, while also allowing just 4 H, 2 ER, 4 K, and 1 BB.

The Big Sticks committed a couple of outs on the base paths, which was another difference maker in the game. A lot of chances to get more runs, but the Stingers’ pitching staff made the quality pitches when they needed it most.

The Big Sticks started Tuesday night off with a bang, scoring four runs in the first inning thanks to the hitting of Luis Rodriguez (Dickinson State) and Jayden Sanchez (UNLV), who each had an RBI single, along with Wyatt Wilharm (Dickinson State), who had an RBI double. 

Big Sticks starting pitcher Justan Autry (Alvin CC) had a dominant performance, notching a 0 ER, 4 K, 0 BB, 3 H in five innings of work. The Stingers were not able to solve Autry all night. Wilmar would respond with a run of their own in the fifth and three more runs in the sixth off the bat of Matthew Pena, who tallied a base-clearing triple to tie the game 4-4.

Kobe Krenz (Metro State University of Denver) was unreal for the Big Sticks in relief, pitching four scoreless innings without giving up a hit, only allowing two walks. 

Troy Berg would respond for the Big Sticks by launching a 2-run homer to deep left field in the bottom of the 7th to put Badlands up 6-4. The Big Sticks would add two more runs in the inning to take an 8-4 lead due to an RBI triple by Jadyn Sanchez and a sac-fly RBI by Wyatt Wilharm heading into the top of the eighth. 

The Big Sticks were able to exact some revenge on the Stingers thanks to some rock-solid pitching from Autry and Krenz and some big swings of the bat from Berg and Sanchez. 

For their next series, the Big Sticks travel to Mankato, Minnesota, to take on the MoonDogs (1-1) on May 28 and May 29th amid an eight-game road trip where they will also face St. Cloud Rox, Eau Claire Express, and the Willmar Stingers. They will be back at Dakota Community Bank and Trust Ballpark on June 5th when they play the Bismarck Larks at 6:35 pm MST.