DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (26-27 overall, 8-11 second half) faced off against the Willmar Stingers (33-18 overall, 14-4 second half) in a doubleheader, completely flipping the script on game one and taking game two to split the day-night set.

 

GAME ONE

 

The Willmar Stingers got out to a hot start in the 1st inning, putting two runs on the board thanks to a sacrifice fly from David Estrada and a single by Merrick Rapoza. They added another run in the top of the 3rd inning with another RBI single by Rapoza, putting the score at 3-0.

 

The Big Sticks put up their one and only run in the bottom of the 5th inning on an RBI double by John Youens (Baylor), which scored Blake Beheler (Blinn JC) from first base.

 

The Stingers then took complete control, putting up two more runs in the top of the 6th inning by scoring on two wild pitches to increase the lead to 5-1.

 

Willmar fully put the game out of reach in the 7th inning, putting up a six in the frame. An RBI single from Rapoza started the scoring, then sacrifice flies by Levi Maddela and Keaton Cottam followed. Brecken Menuet then hit an RBI triple, which was immediately capped off with a Luke DeVine two-run home run, making the score 11-1.

 

The Stingers would put up two more runs in the 8th inning thanks to an RBI groundout by Maddela and an RBI single from Menuet, putting the score to the final 13-1.

 

GAME TWO

 

Starting similarly to game one, the Stingers struck first in the top of the 1st inning off of Badlands starting pitcher Grant McMeekin (Cochise College), plating one run on a little-league play that resulted in Kai Gonzaga scoring while Rapoza got into a rundown between first and second base.

 

However, McMeekin recovered remarkably, shutting out the Stingers for the next six innings and surrendering just four hits on his way to a seven inning, eight strikeout performance that would see him earn the win when the game ended.

 

McMeekin was given all the run support he could ask for in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings by the Big Sticks offense. Badlands got on the board in the 2nd inning thanks to an RBI double by Beheler, tying the game at 1-1.

 

The Big Sticks then put up a crooked number in the 3rd inning, starting the scoring with a sacrifice fly from Dakota Howard (Southeastern) that scored Ryder Hernandez (Incarnate Word). Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) followed with an RBI double that scored Dylon Myrow (Nebraska).

 

Samson Pugh (Texas State) then came up and hit a two-run double into right field that scored both Schlotterback and Crew Secrist (Texas A&M – Corpus Christi). The inning was capped off with an RBI groundout from Derek Martinez (Arkansas State), putting the score to 6-1.

 

Badlands then put the final touch on the performance in the bottom of the 4th inning when Secrist hit a two-run single that scored Hernandez and Myrow. Schlotterback then came around to score later in the inning on a wild pitch, reaching the eventual final score of 9-1.

 

Over the final eight innings of the game, the combination of McMeekin, Luke Hayhow (Texas State), and Tate Williams (Dickinson State) allowed just two hits and surrendered zero runs, as well as combining for eight strikeouts to secure the victory.

 

The Big Sticks will finish the series and look to split the four-game set against the Willmar Stingers on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. MST.