DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (29-30 overall, 11-14 2nd half) finished the Railroad to Roosevelt Rivalry series in Dickinson, with many miscues leading the Bismarck Larks (28-31 overall, 12-13 2nd half) to victory on Tuesday evening.

 

After a clean 1st inning for both sides, the tide turned quickly in the top of the 2nd inning. The Larks placed three runs, starting with a sacrifice fly from Keegan Landis, scoring Kade Schneider, followed by a Blade Carver double, scoring Jesse Contreras and Clay Cook.

 

Drew Kleinheider led off the top of the 3rd inning with a solo home run to left field, which made the score 4-0.

 

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Ryder Hernandez (Ohio State) walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a single by Blake Beheler (Blinn JC), making it 4-1.

 

The Larks collected a pair of runs in the top half of the 4th inning off a Carver double, plating Cook, and a stolen base from Ezra Farmer, drawing a throw to second and scoring Carver from third which made the score 6-1.

 

The production for the Larks continued, scratching two more runs in the top of the 5th off a Keegan Landis double that put Logan Murphy across along with a double play that scored Cook.

 

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Badlands strung together four straight base runners. Evan Mann (Odessa CC) started the inning off with a walk, which was followed by a Dylon Myrow (Nebraska) single, which led to Beheler’s second RBI single that scored Mann.

 

After a Derek Martinez (Arkansas State) walk, Dakota Howard (Southeastern) placed another run with a sacrifice fly, scoring Myrow. Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) singled, and a misplayed ball in left scored Beheler.

 

Jace Jarrett (Dawson CC) then singled, capping the scoring off at four runs in the inning which were Badlands final runs of the game.

 

In the top of the 6th inning, Bismarck’s Kleinheider led off the inning with a solo home run. Landis then doubled, scoring Murphy and Cook. Trevor Goodwin and Kleinheider walked, scoring two more runs, placing both Landis and Carver. A rare dropped third strikeout tallied the final run of the inning, scoring Farmer and extending the lead to 14-5.

 

The final run came in the top of the 7th inning off a sacrifice fly, scoring Cook and leading to the final score of 15-5.

 

A change of scenery for the Big Sticks and Larks sees the home-and-home makes its way to Bismarck on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 5:35 p.m. MST.