Bismarck, North Dakota- The Bismarck Larks (11-12, 27-30) walked off the division-leading Willmar Stingers (15-7, 31-26) on a Jackson Crider RBI single. This is Bismarck’s second win against the Stingers at Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field, bringing them to 4.5 games back in the Great Plains West.

Larks starter Brett Buchanan drilled Paris Pridgen to start off the game. Third baseman David Estrada drove him in with a 2-run homer to right field, giving Wilmar an early 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third inning, Pridgen walked and stole second. He advanced to third on a Luke DeVine groundout and scored on an Estrada sac fly.

The Larks didn’t score until the fifth inning. Drew Kleinheider led off with a walk against Luke Kalfsbeek. Jackson Crider left the yard, plating Kleinheider and bringing the Larks to within 1. With 2 outs, Jesse Contreras and Carmelo Rivera singled, setting up Blade Carver for an RBI infield single, tying the score at 3. Luke Stulga followed with an RBI double to left, putting the Larks up 4-3.

In the 7th inning, Alex Jennings came in to relieve Buchanan, walking Landon Lowe. Catcher Jehee Lee singled to right and advanced to third on a fielding error by Carmelo Rivera. Lowe came around to score, tying the game at 4-4.

Wilmar kept the momentum in the eighth, with Estrada and Merrick Rapoza hitting back-to-back singles off Gabriel Jacobs to start the frame. With two outs, Landon Lowe singled to right, scoring Estrada and putting the Stingers in front. Lee followed with an infield RBI single, scoring Rapoza. With Levi Maddela batting, Lee took off for second and was thrown out, not before Lowe stole home from third. The inning ended with the Stingers up 7-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, with Max Gast pitching, Kleinheider slapped a triple to center, bringing Crider to the plate. Crider delivered his third RBI with a single to center, putting the score at 7-5.

Wilmar fought back in the ninth with a two-out double from Devine off Jared Teke followed by a walk from Estrada. Rapoza came through with an RBI single, stretching Wilmar’s lead back to three.

Braden Cork came into the ninth with a three-run lead, but hit the leadoff man in Logan Murphy. Contreras on a 3-2 pitch smashed a double to right, plating Murphy and moving over to third on the throw. Rivera then grounded out to second, scoring Murphy. Blade Carver kept the momentum rolling with a 1-out single, chasing Cork from the game. Justin Ritz came in in relief, and Stulga came in clutch with an RBI triple, knotting up the score at 8-8. Ezra Farmer came in to pinch-hit and drew a walk, followed by another walk from Kleinheider. With the bases loaded, Crider fell down in the count 0-2. On the 0-2, he poked a single to left field for his fourth RBI of the night to walk off the Stingers 9-8.

Jared Teke (1-1) of Bismarck picked up the win, giving up 2 hits, 1 earned run, and 1 walk in 1 inning of relief. Wilmar’s Justin Ritz (0-1) picked up his first loss of the season, giving up 2 hits and 1 earned run while walking 2 and failing to retire a batter.

The Larks and Stingers stay at Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field tomorrow for the conclusion of their two-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.