Eau Claire, Wisc. – Eau Claire prevented Willmar from sweeping its first series of the season, as the Express salvaged a split with a 5-3 win Sunday night at Carson Park.

On the heels of the first game that saw both offenses scoreless through the first half of the game, the series finale featured six runs in the first four innings. Eau Claire (2-4) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

But the Stingers (2-2) would not be deterred, as they came back right away in the top half of the second inning to tie the score at two. Catcher Kyle Gilbert provided half of those two runs with a leadoff solo blast to left field. Ky Parrott and Lucas Tancas then followed with back-to-back singles, and Parrott came into score on a wild pitch to tie the game.

Willmar struck for another run in the top of the third to take the lead courtesy of some small ball and the base running ability of Sean Beesley. Beesley reached on a walk with one out, stole second and went to third on a throwing error on the play, and then scored on a wild pitch to put the Stingers on top.

Eau Claire chipped away and scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game and then got single runs in the sixth and seventh innings that eventually held up for the 5-3 final score.

Dan Motl, Justin Thaxton and Lucas Tancas remained hot to start the season, as each of the three recorded a hit to run their hitting streaks to four games to open the season.

Willmar heads to Mankato Monday for the first matchup of the season with the MoonDogs and returns to the Beehive Tuesday to face Mankato.

The 2015 season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com. 

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Kyle Gilbert. CDI is your local medical imaging provider. It’s your choice where you go for medical imaging, for MRI, CT, mammograms and pain injections, choose CDI. Visit online at myCDI.com/CentralMN.

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com.