DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (14-11) rode a fantastic starting pitching performance from Tommy Mulkern (Navarro College) to victory against the Bismarck Larks (11-14) in the Railroad to Roosevelt Rivalry on Saturday night.

 

Mulkern got into a jam in the top of the 1st inning, loading the bases with just one out. But Mulkern was able to pitch out of it without giving up a run, which would jump-start his great outing.

 

The Badlands starter, after giving up a walk with one out in the 1st inning, then proceeded to retire the next 18 batters in order, a streak lasting from the 1st inning into the 7th inning. Mulkern was relieved after giving up the second hit of the day, completing his line score with 6.1 innings pitched, two hits and zero runs allowed while striking out three.

 

The Big Sticks provided Mulkern with the warranted run support, starting off in the bottom of the 3rd inning with a RBI groundout by Chris Fox (New Orleans) followed by a sacrifice fly by Jalen Evans (Kansas State) to put Badlands up 2-0.

 

Two more runs of support were added in the bottom of the 4th when Davis Goodwin (Cal State – Bakersfield) came up and slashed a line drive into right field with a runner on first base. The Larks right fielder missed a diving catch, allowing the ball to roll all the way to the wall.

 

Goodwin took advantage of the opportunity, rounding third base and heading home to score just before the tag, giving him a two-run inside-the-park home run to put the scoring at 4-0.

 

The Big Sticks tallied on two more runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. An RBI groundout by Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) started the inning’s scoring, then Evans scored on an errant throw trying to stop him from stealing third base, resulting in him scoring and adding to the lead 6-0.

 

The Larks got one back in the 9th inning when Jaden Correa hit a triple that scored one run, but he was thrown out at home trying to extend it into an inside-the-park home run. The one run was the only run scored by Bismarck, leading to a 6-1 victory for the Big Sticks.

 

The win marks the 14th consecutive victory against the Bismarck Larks dating back to last season. Badlands will look to extend the winning streak on Sunday afternoon against Bismarck, with first pitch scheduled for 4:35 p.m. MST.