Willmar, Minn. — Two weeks ago, a first half championship looked like a stretch for Willmar. 

At 8-8 through their first 16 games, the Stingers were in the middle of the pack in the North Division and their longest winning streak was just a modest two games.

Now 16 days later, the Stingers have won 13 of their last 16 games and are one win away from their second straight first half championship after a 6-5 dispatching of the Eau Claire Express Sunday at Bill Taunton Stadium. 

It took awhile for the offenses to heat up in the series finale, but the Stingers (21-11) came alive at the most opportune moment to overcome an eighth inning deficit. After leading all night long, the Stingers allowed three runs spread between the seventh and eighth innings, and the Express took a 3-2 lead on a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning. But the Stingers had a comeback in them for the second straight night. 

The momentum shifted in the Stingers' favor in the top of the eighth inning, and they capitalized in the bottom half. With the bases loaded and two out in the top of the eighth, shortstop Tyler Leffler made a diving play ranging into shallow left field to keep the deficit at just one. Then in the bottom half of the inning after Ky Parrott doubled home Dan Motl to tie the game at three, Leffler stepped up and doubled to left-center field to give the Stingers a 5-3 edge. Eddie Estrada had a pinch hit sac fly to give Willmar the eventual game-winning tally. 

After allowing a two-run home run in the top of the ninth, Dakota Belter came back to get the final three batters he faced to give the Stingers the win. It was Belter's fourth win of the season, all of which have come in relief.

With the win Sunday, the Stingers have now come from behind to win in each of the last three contests and have 10 comeback wins this season. 

Besides his RBI double in the eighth, Parrott also had an RBI single in the sixth inning for the Stingers to double their advantage to 2-0. His two RBIs Sunday now give him the team lead with 18 total runs driven in. 

The 2015 Stingers 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 Ky Parrott. 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.