DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (21-21 overall, 3-5 second half) set a season high for runs scored with 14 in game one of the doubleheader against the Bismarck Larks (20-22 overall, 4-4 second half) on Saturday, but were unable to hold onto a lead in game two, eventually splitting the set.

 

GAME 1

 

The Big Sticks got off to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning after Dylon Myrow (Nebraska) led off the game with a triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Dakota Howard (Southeastern).

 

After Badlands’ starting pitcher Ty Thomson (Kansas) set down the Larks in order in the bottom of the 1st inning with two strikeouts and a fly out, the Big Sticks bats got back to work.

 

In the top of the 2nd inning, John Youens (Baylor) led off with a single then was followed by Blake Beheler (Blinn JC) being hit by a pitch. Cougar Cooke (Arkansas State) then came up and blasted a three-run home run into right field to extend the lead to 4-0.

 

Bismarck countered with a home run of their own, as a two-run shot from Jackson Crider in the bottom of the second inning cut the lead in half. The Larks once again closed the gap in the bottom of the 3rd inning off an RBI single from Luke Stulga, putting the score at 4-3.

 

Badlands then reupped the lead in the top of the 4th inning with a pair of doubles, one that scored two runs off the bat of Jackson Cionek (East Tennessee State) and another that brought home one more from Myrow. Myrow later scored, padding the lead to 8-3.

 

The Big Sticks continued to extend the lead in the top of the 5th inning with an RBI single from Beheler. Youens scored on a dropped third strike to put Badlands into double digits and add to the lead 10-3.

 

Bismarck grabbed back one more run in the bottom of the 5th when Michael Carrano Jr. scored on an error, which would be the final run the Larks would score.

 

Derek Martinez (Arkansas State) provided more insurance to the Big Sticks, hitting an RBI single in the top of the 6th inning to score Howard. Martinez later came around to score on a wild pitch, putting an even dozen on the scoreline for Badlands.

 

The Big Sticks added the cherry to the cake in the top of the 9th inning when Cionek hit a two-run home run into left field, finalizing the score at 14-4.

 

GAME 2

 

Badlands picked up right where they left off, putting up a four-spot in the top of the 1st inning. After Howard singled, Martinez came up and hit a single to score him. Samson Pugh (Texas State) immediately followed with another single, which scored Martinez.

 

The big swing of the frame came from Beheler as he lifted off for a two-run home run into left field to put a stamp on the opening inning.

 

The Larks got a run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Trevor Goodwin scored on a double play to tally their first run of the ballgame. The Big Sticks hit back with a run in the top of the 3rd inning when Pugh scored on the back end of a pickoff attempt, making the score 5-1.

 

Bismarck got another run back in the bottom of the 3rd inning with an RBI groundout by Dylan Larkins that scored Keegan Landis.

 

After a series of zeroes, the Larks were the next to tally, cashing in on a hit by pitch and a sacrifice fly to score two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning and cut the lead to 5-4. Then, in the bottom of the 8th inning, Joey Canzoni hit an RBI single to tie the game.

 

In the bottom of the 9th inning, the Larks loaded the bases with nobody out. In a 2-1 count, Blade Carver slashed a single through the middle to walk-off the ballgame, giving the Larks the win 6-5.

 

The Big Sticks will travel back to Dickinson on Sunday to take on the Mankato MoonDogs, with first pitch scheduled for 4:35 p.m. MST.