Willmar, Minn. — It came down to the wire for the second time in three days. 

But the Stingers came up on a short end of their second two-run defeat in the midst of those three days, a 4-2 loss to the Rochester Honkers. 

The two teams battled back and for the first half of the game. Rochester (9-5) scored first with three hits, including a double, in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. But an inning an a half later, the Stingers offense came back with two of its own runs to take the 2-1 lead. With one out in that fourth inning, Willmar's Tyler Leffler walked and Ky Parrott followed with a single to put runners on the corners for Justin Thaxton. Thaxton came through with an RBI single to knot the score at one. Parrott then came into score on a wild pitch to give the Stingers the lead. 

It didn't stay tied for long though, as the Honkers answered with a run in the top of the fifth to tie it at two. 

The game would stay that way until the eighth inning, as both starters worked through the sixth inning. Despite giving up eight hits, Willmar starter Andrew Towns was strong in his second outing of the year with a season-high for any Stingers pitcher with his seven strikeouts. 

Rochester finally broke the tie in the eighth inning on an infield single by catcher Sam Hall that drove in two runs. 

Willmar tried to fight back in the ninth and got back to back two-out walks to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But pinch hitter Dan Motl popped out to end the contest. 

The homestand continues tomorrow night with Dueling Duo Night at the Beehive that will feature live music all game long as the Stingers take on the St. Cloud Rox. First pitch is 7:05 p.m. 

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Sean Beesley. 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 2015 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit www.wctrib.com.