DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (19-17 overall, 1-1 second half) were able to respond after being shutout in game one of the opening second half series, grabbing a shutout in return against the St. Cloud Rox (25-13 overall, 1-1 second half) on Wednesday night.

The only runs necessary for the Big Sticks to glide to victory were an RBI double by Samson Pugh (Texas State) in the 4th inning that scored Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) and an RBI single by Dakota Howard (Southeastern) in the 7th inning that plated Cougar Cooke (Arkansas State).

The two runs of support were enough for Badlands starting pitcher Collin Maloney (Arkansas State) and relief pitcher Seth Broadwell (Keiser) to combine for the first shutout of the Rox in team history.

In his first start of the summer for the Big Sticks, Maloney tossed five innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits and three walks while also striking out three batters.

Broadwell then came on in the 6th inning and pitched the rest of the ballgame, surrendering just two hits and two walks while striking out two St. Cloud hitters.

In the 9th inning, the first batter reached on a dropped third strike, but Broadwell quickly recovered, getting the next batter to ground into a double play. Broadwell then got the final batter of the game to ground out to Cooke at second base to secure the victory for Badlands.

With the Big Sticks notching their first win of the second half and starting the month of July 1-0, the team will head on the road to take on the rival Minot Hot Tots in the Battle of the Badlands rivalry, with first pitch scheduled for Thursday evening at 5:35 p.m. MST.