BISMARCK, ND –  The Larks can’t contain the best offense in the league, surrendering a season-high 18 hits.

Andrew Sojka (California State University Northridge) reached and scored to lead off the game for the Stingers for the second conseuqtive night with a double into the right-center field gap and advanced to third on a single from Rhett Stokes (University of Nebraska). Max Buettenback (University of Nebraska) singled up the middle past the diving shortstop to score Sojka, giving Willmar a 1-0 lead in the first on successive nights. 

The Stingers plated two additional runs in the second inning, sending eight batters to the plate. Nico Senese (Georgia Southern) walked to lead off the frame followed by a swinging-bunt single from Andrew Sojka. Rhett Stokes drove in a run on a double off the base of the left-field wall. Jessada Brown (University of California Santa Barbara) chopped a ball high in the infield, beating out the throw from third to load the bases. Sojka trotted home on a balk, scoring his 38th run of the season – ranking second in the entire Northwoods League. Following the balk, Max Buettenback reached on an unusual single after he popped up in the infield as the defender tripped over the pitcher’s mound,  allowing the ball to fall in front of several Larks. David Chase (Iowa Western) recorded the next two outs on a strikeout and a flyout to strand three runners on base for the second straight inning.

Kyle Hvidsten (Western Kentucky) ripped a ball to left field for the Larks first hit of the ballgame after the first two pitches of the at-bat nearly hit him in the head. After the next two batters were retired, Jaron Cotton (University of Nebraska) worked a walk and Davis Baker (University of Pennslyvania) singled to score Hvidsten. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch and Cotton cut the deficit to one, scoring on a rare passed ball from Colin Hynek (Georgia State University).

Willmar responded with two runs in the fifth and the sixth, extending the lead to 7-2. Gabe Swansen (University of Nebraska) walked to lead off the inning followed by an error and a single from Maximus Martin (University of Arkansas) to load the bases. The Larks recorded a huge out after striking out one of the best bats in the league in Andrew Sojka, but couldn’t keep Willmar off the board due to two wild pitches. Consecutive doubles from Jessada Brown and Max Buettenback extended the lead in the sixth, with Buettenback raising his batting average to a second-best .429 in the entire league. Buettenback advanced 90 feet on the fifth wild pitch of the game surrendered by Larks pitching and scored on a sacrifice fly from Colin Hynek. 

Bismarck cut the deficit to a run in the bottom of the sixth, sending nine men to the plate while scoring four runs. Brazy Krzciok (Central Michigan) walked to start the inning followed by Erick Dessens (Paradise Valley CC) who recorded his 15th hit in ten games on a single. After the first out was recorded, Davis Baker reached for the 11th time in twelve plate appearances on a walk to load the bases for Mackenzee Higuchi (Cal Poly) who scored Krzciok on a single to left field. Alex Alva (University of Jamestown) scored Dessens on a walk and Zach Daudet (Cal Poly) scored Baker on a fielder’s choice. Two pitches later, Higuchi scored on a wild pitch to put the Larks within a run. 

The Stingers put the game out of reach in the seventh inning, scoring two runs as the clouds opened up. Maximus Martin singled out of the 9 hole to start the frame, followed by Andrew Sojka who singled for his third hit of the evening. Two more wild pitches enabled Martin to score from second and Sojka to advance to third. With two outs, Max Buettenback recorded his fourth hit on a 3-0 fastball, beating Brady Krzciok to first base to score Sojka, extending the Willmar lead to 9-6. 

Sophomore Aidan Gonzalez (University of San Diego) slammed the door for the Stingers, providing 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit while striking out five batters.