DICKINSON, ND – The Badlands Big Sticks (30-35 overall, 12-19 second half) losing streak was snapped due to a breakout performance from Blake Beheler (Blinn JC), who led the way in the 8-7 victory over the Willmar Stingers (35-30 overall, 19-10 second half) on Monday night.

 

A cold night in August brought heat to the bats throughout the entire game as 19 hits were recorded between the two sides.

 

The scoring started in the bottom of the 1st inning. In just one pitch, Dakota Howard (Southeastern) doubled to start the bats off which was followed by a single from Beheler, scoring Howard from second. The offense continued with another single from Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) to string the first three batters with a hit.

 

A Samson Pugh (UT – Tyler) flyout down the right field line advanced the runners to second and third base, which was capitalized on with a single from Cougar Cooke (Arkansas State), scoring Beheler and making it a 2-0 lead.

 

The lead was not held for long, as in the top of the 2nd inning, Levi Maddela hit a 2-run home run to tie it up at 2-2 for the Stingers.

 

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, back-to-back singles from Ryder Hernandez (Ohio State) and Evan Mann (Odessa CC) led the inning off. A fielder’s choice from Schlotterback scored the opening run in the inning, which allowed for the double from Pugh to add two more that cleared the bases to make it 5-2.

 

In the top of the 3rd, Merrick Rapoza continued his surge against the Big Sticks, getting his first of two RBIs on a single, making it 5-3.

 

Both Mason Lunzman (Dickinson State) and Brandon Mikos tossed a scoreless 4th inning, then Willmar’s Rapoza singled in the top of the 5th inning to score David Estrada, which made it 5-4.

 

Badlands immediately responded in the bottom of the 5th inning. Cooke started a rally himself with a triple and tagged up on a shallow pop fly from Moses Dokes (Dickinson State), scoring to extend it to 6-4.

 

After a Howard walk, Beheler hit a towering home run to center field to add more insurance to make it 8-4.

 

In the top of the 7th, Willmar made it a similar feeling to the games in the past by cutting the lead thin. An error off a pop up started the scoring off, scoring Paris Pridgen, then a couple walks led to another run. The final run came off a groundball from Maddela that scored Estrada, which ended up capping the scoring at 8-7.

 

Badlands breaks the losing skid and makes it their third consecutive victory over the Stingers, with first pitch for game two set for Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. MST.