ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – Max Kuhn’s two-run homer in the ninth tried to spark a last-inning comeback, but the Stingers ended up falling to the Beetles, 10-7, Monday night at Knute Nelson Memorial Park.

In the first of two meetings between the top two teams of the second-half standings, Alexandria (17-12) took the contest to pull within one game of the Stingers (18-11) with six games remaining in the season.

Kuhn’s home run scored Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) for the second time in the game, setting an all-time Northwoods League record for most runs scored in a single season with 62 for Allday. The previous mark of 61 was accomplished twice, most recently in 1997.

Willmar struck first in the contest with two runs in the first inning, but Alexandria tied the game in the bottom of the frame and added two runs in the third and one more in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead. Max Kuhn (Kentucky) and Mitch Rowan (San Francisco) scored the Stingers’ two runs on a throwing error and a wild pitch, respectively.

Willmar’s big inning came in the fifth when the Stingers plated three runs on two hits to tie the game, 5-5. Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) and Kuhn had back-to-back walks to begin the frame. Rowan followed with an RBI double to right field to score Allday for his 38th RBI of the season, while Kuhn came across on the same play on a throwing error. One batter later, Michael Suchy (Florida Gulf Coast) singled up the middle to tie the game with his franchise-record 59th RBI of the season.

The Beetles wasted no time regaining the lead, however, with a four-run bottom of the fifth capped off by a two-run triple by Tanner Vavra to take a 9-5 advantage. Alexandria tacked on another run in the seventh when Matt Lowenstein doubled and scored on an RBI single by Vavra.

Trailing 10-5, Allday lined a double to lead off the ninth, and Max Kuhn blasted his fourth home run of the season deep over the 385-foot sign in left-center to cut the deficit to three, but that marked the end of the offense for the Stingers.

Kyle Fischer (4-2) suffered the loss after Alexandria scored nine runs on 11 hits in 4.2 innings against the right-hander from St. Cloud State. Josh Biggs (Evansville) tossed the final 3.1 innings, allowing only one run on three hits while striking out four.

The Stingers square off with Alexandria for the final time of the year Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The first 500 fans at the game will receive a pack of Stingers trading cards courtesy of Bernick’s Pepsi and the West Central Tribune.

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.