The Badlands Big Sticks were riding a three-game losing streak before a tough loss last night. Badlands started with a run in the top of the 1st inning after three straight walks, a sac fly by Zach Gingrich (Texas St) gave the Big Sticks a 1-0 lead.

La Crosse added two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning to take the 2-1 lead. In the top of the 3rd, Gingrich followed up with another sac fly RBI, an error that scored a run, as well as an RBI single from Shane Miller (New Mexico) gave the Big Sticks a 4-2 lead.

Chayton Fischer (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) in the top half of the 4th inning barrelled up his first long ball of the summer, extending the lead 5-2. The Big Sticks weren’t done adding to their big lead.

They added three more in the 6th inning from two wild pitches and a sac fly from Connor Massimini (East Texas Baptist) gave Badlands a 8-2 commanding lead.

Troy Berg (Augustana University) ripped an RBI single before stretch time in the top of the 7th inning to round out their 9th and final run of the game.

The story for Badlands tonight was the pitching staff. After allowing two runs in the 1st inning, finished out the game with eight straight shutout innings. 

Ismael Quintero (Cal St LA) dazzled in his first start this summer, going 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, and 1 BB. Kasen McCawley (UNC Pembroke) threw a scoreless inning, Brady Owens (Georgia Southern) pitched the next two frames of shutout baseball, and Kobe Krenz (Metro St Denver) closed the door in the 9th inning with a 1-2-3 inning.

Troy Berg, Ryker Schow (BYU), and Shane Miller all had multi-hit games and Fischer had the solo home run which was one of two extra base hits that Badlands produced tonight. Gingrich cashed in two RBI which gives him 12 RBI in his last five games.

The Big Sticks, now 3-1 on the tough road trip, will face the Mankato Moondogs for a two-game series with first pitch set for 5:35 p.m. MST.