(Photo Courtesy: Lyle Ripplinger)
Written By: Cody Shook, Larks Broadcaster
BISMARCK, ND – In a thrilling game from start to finish, the Bismarck Larks come out on top against the St. Cloud Rox by a score of 5-3. With this win to improve to 10-5, the Larks remain in first place in the Northwoods League standings.
In front of a huge crowd at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, Jared Gray got his first start of the season for the Larks and gave up one run in the top of the first inning but was able to battle back and settle in nicely “Our guys have been looking forward to this game,” said Larks Head Coach, Sean Repay. “Anytime you can face the defending champions at home, it’s going to be a big game.”
The Larks bats would come alive in the bottom of the first inning when Cristian Montes got things started with a single into right field. Mike Farnell hit a two out single into left field and Brandon Barna would follow that up to load the bases. Newcomer, Chase Coker then hit a bases clearing double off of the left field wall to give the Larks a 3-1 lead. “Coker is a Lark,” Repay said. “ He showed me that he’s a man and when he gets knocked down, he gets back up and keeps battling.”
Gray threw three scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the fifth inning to make it a tie ballgame. “We got punched first, but we punched back and that’s been the motto of this year’s team,” Repay said.
Tristen Hudson and the bullpen would take over in the sixth and shut the door. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; I think we have the best bullpen in the league,” Repay said. “We handed it over to Hudson, Harm and Lindgren and we had the right cards out there today and we have a lot left in our bullpen.”
The Larks added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Carson Bartels drove in Coker on a single into right field to give the Larks the 4-3 lead. They would add an insurance run in the seventh inning when Farnell drove in Kyle Stevens on a single to give the Larks a 5-3 lead.
Hudson earned the win on the mound and Lindgren earned the save for the larks in their 5-3 victory.
The Larks will be back in action tomorrow night against the St. Cloud Rox, with first pitch scheduled at 7:05 at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark.
###
The Bismarck Larks are a proud affiliate of the Northwoods League, the proven leader in development of elite college baseball players. The Larks mission is to use FUN to make a difference in the lives of our families, businesses, players, and communities we serve. This is accomplished with a commitment to putting fans first and providing high quality family entertainment at affordable prices. In 2017, the Larks sold out 27 of their 36 home games in Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, home of Dakota Community Bank and Trust Field, and were named the Northwoods League’s Organization of the Year.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 190 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
