DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (6-6) used stellar pitching and offense performances to beat the Eau Claire Express (6-8) in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

 

In the 1st inning, the Big Sticks were able to scratch a run across after Jalen Evans (Wingate) hit a double and was later scored by a Chris Fox (New Orleans) single to get out in front 1-0.

 

The offensive surge continued in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Braylon Mitchell (Dayton) reached on a single and Evans reached on a fielder’s choice. John Youens (Baylor) then mashed a 3-run home run, the first home run hit by the Big Sticks at home this season, to make the score 4-0.

 

The offense continued to push through the Express in the 2nd inning, when a single off the bat of Rhett Winchester (Wichita State) scored Alejandro Ludeiro (Lipscomb), extending the lead to 5-0.

 

In the 4th, Youens tacked on his fourth RBI of the game making the lead 6-0, scoring Mitchell with a single to right field.

 

Starting pitcher Mason Green (Salt Lake CC) tossed 6 innings of shutout baseball, providing the best starting pitching performance to this point of the season.

 

The 7th inning brought the only blemishes to the Big Sticks pitching staff when Hollon Brock singled and reached second on a throwing error, which brought home the only two Express runs of the afternoon.

 

The bottom of the 8th inning used a team effort for a single run as Davis Goodwin (Cal State – Bakersfield) led the inning with a walk to bring Gamaliel Jones (Angelo State) in the ball game as a pinch runner. Jones wasted no time, stealing second on the first pitch and advancing to third on a fly out from Mitchell. Jones then scored on a sac-fly from Evans.

 

The Big Sticks earned their 4th series split of the season, and the first win against Eau Claire since 2024. Badlands will head on the road to face the Mankato Moondogs on Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 5:35 MST.