WATERLOO, Iowa — The Stingers control their own playoff destiny, and they took an important step toward their third-straight playoff berth on Thursday night. 

Willmar (30-25, 12-7 second half) scored three times in the first inning and got a strong debut from right-hander Caleb Arbeiter (Murray State) to knock off the Waterloo Bucks, 6-2, and draw even with the Bucks for the second wild card spot in the North Division. 

By the time Arbeiter took the mound in the first inning, the Stingers had already provided him with more than enough run support thanks to the fifth straight game with first-inning runs. The first three batters in the inning all reached against Bucks starter Steven Baker, as Quincy McAfee (Pepperdine) walked, Danny Pardo (Montevallo) singled, and Greg Lambert (Southern Illinois) singled.

Justin Toerner (Cal State Northridge) then cashed in on the opportunity, singling home both McAfee and Pardo to give the Stingers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Eddie Estrada (Minnesota) grounded into a double play a batter later, and that helped provide the third run of the frame. 

Waterloo scored a single run in the bottom of the first against Arbeiter, but he shut down the Bucks (30-25, 8-12) the rest of his night. Arbeiter allowed just one run in his five innings and allowed just one hit in his final four innings while striking out four. 

The two teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning before the Stingers scored twice in the eighth to put the game away. Brandon Perez (USC) drove in the Willmar run in the sixth with a single, and McAfee had a two-run single in the eighth inning to drive in the last two runs of the game. 

Jake Rothwell (Daytona State) had one of his best outings of the season in relief of Arbeiter, throwing four innings without allowing an earned run. The right-hander finished his night with five strikeouts and picked up his fourth save. 

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Caleb Arbeiter. 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 have a chance to move into sole possession of the second wild card spot with a win against Waterloo on Friday night in the series finale.

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.