LA CROSSE, WI – 2,788 fans watched the visiting Willmar Stingers top the host La Crosse Loggers 3-1 on Friday night at Copeland Park to put an end to the Loggers four-game winning streak.<\/p>\n
La Crosse jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Ronnie Sweeny (Minnesota) singled home Michael Dixon (San Diego) for the first run of the contest before Willmar starter Dennis Boatman (Sacramento City) and Loggers starter Cole Colleran (San Diego) locked horns in a pitchers duel.<\/p>\n
The score would remain 1-0 until the fourth when Willmar would break through with a pair of their own runs to take a 2-1 lead and knock Colleran out of the game.\u00a0 Boatman continued to roll from there, eventually going to toss six innings of one-run baseball limiting the Loggers to just three hits while striking out six.<\/p>\n
La Crosse would threaten in eighth inning when Josh Hahn (UCLA) led off with a single to left.\u00a0 One batter later Sweeny would line a ball towards the right-centerfield gap before Stingers right fielder William Hamiter made a diving catch to complete an inning-ending double play to put out the threat.<\/p>\n
Jacob Webb would come on to close out the game for Willmar in the ninth and, after walking the lead-off hitter and uncorking two wild pitches, would settle down to strike out the side and record his fourth save of the young season.<\/p>\n
Boatman picked up the victory for Willmar on the mound, his third of the year, while Colleran suffered his first loss of the season.\u00a0 The loss ended the Loggers four-game winning streak and dropped them to 10-8 overall while Willmar improved to 9-9.<\/p>\n
The Loggers will continue their current homestand on Saturday night when they welcome the Duluth Huskies to town for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.\u00a0 Southpaw Tony Roca (North Florida) will get the ball for La Crosse while Duluth will send Ben Pederson to the mound.<\/p>\n