After seeing its first-ever All-Star Game on Tuesday night, baseball returned to normal capacity on Thursday night, in which the Bismarck Larks hosted the Willmar Stingers for the opener of a two-game series. Bismarck would fall behind early and drop the contest by a final score of 8-2.

The Stingers struck first in the first. Drey Dirksen (Agustana) got the scoring started with an RBI infield hit, and then later in the inning, Sean Rimmer (Hawaii) drove in another run with a walk. It was 2-0 after one frame.

Although the Larks would threaten in the second, they would leave the bases loaded, and the Stingers would take advantage in the next half inning. Kristopher Hokenson (Minnesota) blasted a three-run homer to make it 5-0. 

After a quiet couple of innings, Willmar would get back on the board with a run in the fifth, and then score once more in the sixth on a Dallas Duarte (Hawaii) RBI knock. After six innings, it was 7-0. 

Both teams would score in the eighth, with Willmar putting up a run on an RBI groundout, and The Larks’ Aaron Biediger (Richland) getting the yellow birds on the board for the first time all night with a two-run single. Biediger would finish with three hits.

The Larks loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the ballgame. The third double play the Larks would ground into would be the nail in the coffin, as Bismarck fell to Willmar 8-2.

On the mound, Willmar left-hander Ethan Stade (Minnesota State Mankato) got the win, tossing six brilliant innings of shutout baseball. Bismarck’s Murphy Bostick (Grayson) picked up his second loss of the season after throwing over 35 pitches and giving up two in the first. The Metro Area Fastest Pitch of the Game was thrown by Larks reliever Justin Goldstein (Middle Tennessee State). He hit 91 mph in the eighth inning.

The Fetzer Electric Play of the Game also came from Goldstein in that same frame. Goldstein made an incredible between-the-legs play to rob Willmar’s Stone Miayo (Hawaii) of a base hit.

The Larks will return to Bismarck Municipal Ballpark for the series finale against the Stingers tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. CT. Willmar is currently 6-1 against Bismarck this summer. Tomorrow is also the final Firework Friday of the summer. The atmosphere is going to be electric at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Field, with post-game fireworks brought to you by Fetzer Electric.