The Badlands Big Sticks (15-10) came into Sunday night’s game looking to complete the sweep of the Bismarck Larks (8-20) and head on the road, winning five of their seven games of the homestand. 

The Larks started the game off strong with an RBI single from Kyle Hvidsten and a sac-fly RBI from Sydney Ward to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

Badlands responded in the home half of the first with a couple of RBI singles from Ryan Muizelaar (University of Jamestown) and Zach Gingrich (Texas State University) and took the lead 3-2 with a Jayden Sanchez (UNLV) RBI fielder’s choice. 

Adrian Vidal added an RBI groundout in the top of the second, but the Big Sticks would respond, spotting a four-piece thanks to an RBI sac-fly from Ryan Muizleaar (University of Jamestown), a Connor Massimini (East Texas Baptist University) RBI single and a two-RBI double from Zach Gingrich (Texas State University) to put Badlands ahead 7-3.

Sydney Ward tallied his second sac-fly RBI in the top of the third. The Big Sticks answered once more in the bottom of the 3rd off the bat of Chayton Fischer (UT-RGV), blasting a solo home run to right field to put Badlands ahead 8-4. 

On the mound for the Big Sticks was sophomore southpaw Nikau Heeney (Skyline CA, CC). The Auckland, New Zealand native put together a 7.13 ERA with 3.1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 K, 3 BB.

On the diamond for the Larks was the right hander Braxton Greenburg only going one inning giving up 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 K, 2 BB.

Getting the party started in the top of the 4th for Bismarck was Ricardo Aponte launching a 2-run homer followed by a sac-fly RBI from Sydney Ward to break the Big Sticks lead just one trailing 8-7. 

Badlands would answer once more in the home half of the 4th thanks to a Whitt Joyce (UTSA) two-run homer to left field. Joyce tallied his first home run of the season to put Badlands ahead 10-7.

It was all Bismarck in the 7th inning with an array of RBI singles from Dasan Harris, Adrian Vidal, and Carter Aarts to tie the game 10-10.

With a man on in the bottom of the 9th it was Connnor Massimini (East Texas Baptist University) playing hero for the Big Sticks hitting a game winning RBI single to bring in Shane Miller (University of New Mexico) to score with Badlands walking it off 11-10.

A game marked by an offensive explosion for both teams with a combined 26 hits and 21 runs. 

The Big Sticks now travel on the road for a four-game stretch, facing off against the St. Cloud Rox and Bismarck Larks before returning for a four-game home stint of their own. First pitch against the Rox is set for 6:35 p.m. CDT tomorrow in St. Cloud, MN.