THUNDER BAY, Ontario – Willmar scored in three-straight innings to chip away at an initial 7-0 deficit, but ultimately came up short in a 7-5 loss to the Border Cats at Port Arthur Stadium Saturday evening.
Thunder Bay sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored seven runs on six hits to take a commanding advantage that the Stingers could not overcome. Two batters into the game, Brett Kay hit an RBI double to right-center field to score Omar Cotto. Three batters after that, Scott Donley added a two-run double to make it 4-0. The big inning was capped off by Cotto batting for a second time and getting a two-run single to push the score to 7-0.
Anthony Consiglio (Western Nevada College) took the loss in his Stingers’ debut, surrendering seven runs on five hits and two walks in 1/3 of an inning. Steven Brault (Regis) entered in the first inning and ended it with back-to-back strikeouts. Brault went on to pitch 4-2/3 innings in relief, striking out five while not allowing any runs on only two hits.
Willmar began its comeback effort in the third inning when Greg Fettes (Kentucky) led off the frame with a single up the middle. After advancing on two wild pitches, Fettes stole home while Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) stayed in a rundown between first and second base to score the first Stinger run of the contest.
In the sixth, Allday walked and Hunter Dozier (Stephen F. Austin) singled to give the Stingers two on with nobody out. Allday and Dozier then executed a double steal, and Allday scored when the throw to third base went into left field. Michael Suchy (Florida Gulf Coast) drove home Dozier with a groundout to shortstop for his team-leading 12th RBI.
Steve Talbott (Purdue) continued the come-from-behind bid with a solo home run to lead off the seventh, making the score 7-4. Kenny Roberts (Alabama) made it a two-run game in the eighth after he was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a Zach Benson (Stephen F. Austin) single and scored on a fielder’s choice. Willmar got the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but could not complete the comeback bid.
The Stingers will conclude its two-game series in Thunder Bay Sunday afternoon at 4:05 p.m.
The 2012 season is presented by Charter. For more information on your Willmar Stingers be sure to visit the West Central Tribune at www.wctrib.com.
