WILLMAR, Minn — After falling to Duluth in the playoffs a season ago, the Stingers looked to start the 2016 season off on the right foot with a chance for some redemption when they faced the Huskies on Tuesday night at Bill Taunton Stadium.
But Willmar (0-1) had trouble getting the offense going all night against the Huskies (1-0), mustering two hits in a 6-0 loss.
Pitching was the story of the game early for both sides, as second-year Stinger Corey Binger (Nebraska Omaha) pitched five strong innings to start the night. That stretch of five innings included a two-strikeout first inning and some help from his defense along the way.
Binger allowed his first base runner in the second inning, but quickly induced a groundball that resulted in a double play to silence any chance for a Duluth threat. In the third, Binger allowed a leadoff single, but again got another ground ball and another double play to halt a potential scoring chance.
The only trouble Binger got into was in the sixth, but it proved to be enough to give Duluth the lead for good. Binger allowed five base runners in the frame, including four hits in a row. That last two hits of the inning drove in three of the five runs in the frame, with Carter Hanford's two-RBI double proving to be the big blow of the inning.
Duluth would go on to tack on a sixth run in the eighth inning against Jake Rothwell (Daytona State), who pitched a pair of innings in relief. Joe Vranesic (Kent State) pitched a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts for Willmar.
The bright spots for the Stingers offensively were Jack Schmidt (Northern State) and Danny Palmiscno (North Dakota State), who each notched a hit. Schmidt also drew a walk in the game, but the Stingers failed to get a runner past first base.
Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Jack Schmidt. 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 Stingers return to the Beehive on Wednesday night for the series finale with Duluth. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The 2016 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.
