DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (14-15) scored first but ultimately lost, dropping to 0-5 against the St. Cloud Rox (21-15) on Wednesday night.

After a scoreless 1st inning, Badlands was able to plate the first run for the first time in the four-game set. John Youens (Baylor) led the inning off with a double to right field and Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) backed it up with a single. Alejandro Luderio (UCF) then used small ball to score the first run by placing a sacrifice bunt, scoring Youens.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the Rox offense showed up, scoring six runs. Eli Campbell started the surge, scoring a run with a single. After a walk to Tanner Recchio, Aidan Mouton hit an RBI single to score two more runs. Colton Rother capped the scoring off with an RBI single, scoring two more. Nolan Geislinger came across on a caught stealing to put the Rox up 6-1.

Badlands chipped away at the lead in the top of the 5th inning. Youens hit a single which scored Samson Pugh (Texas State) leading to Cooper Rasmussen (Arkansas-Little Rock) hitting a single, plating Jackson Ellison (Liberty) and Youens, making it 6-4.

St. Cloud responded in the bottom of the 6th inning when Jackson Legg hit a double to start the inning and came across on a single by Jorge Gil. Mouton added another double in the inning, scoring two and extended the Rox lead to 9-4.

In the top of the 8th inning, Schlotterback led off with a single. Immediately following him, Rasmussen hit a two-run home run to make it 9-6.

The Rox scored the last two in the bottom of the 8th inning, making it 11-6, which would be the final score.

The Big Sticks look to win their first game against the St. Cloud Rox this season in the series finale on Thursday night, with first pitch set for 5:35 p.m. MST.