WILLMAR, MN – The Willmar Stingers overcame a 3-0 deficit by scoring five runs in the seventh and eighth innings to defeat the La Crosse Loggers 5-4 in the first of a four-game set at Bill Taunton Stadium on Tuesday night.
The visiting Loggers built a 3-0 lead through five innings thanks to RBI singles from Mike Rothenberg (Duke) and Shane McGuire (San Diego) as well as a RBI sacrifice fly from Harrison Freed (Butler) while La Crosse starter Ryan Anderson (Nevada) sailed through the Stingers lineup.
Anderson would toss six shutout innings, limiting Willmar to just three hits while striking out four before turning it over to the bullpen. That’s when the Stinger bats came alive. Willmar scored three times in the seventh off of reliever Jon Meyerring (Miami-OH) to tie the score at three before the Loggers answered right back with a run thanks to an RBI double from Rothenberg. But Willmar pushed two more across in the bottom of the eighth off of Stephen Knapp (Bellevue) to take a 5-4 lead before closing it out in the ninth for the victory.
Rothenberg led all Logger hitters with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, including a pair of RBI’s. McGuire and Freed also collected RBI’s.
The same two teams will continue this series on Wednesday night back at Bill Taunton Stadium. Air time on the Logger Radio Network is set for 6:30 p.m. with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
