DULUTH, Minn. – The Stingers battled for eleven innings before suffering an extra-inning loss to the Duluth Huskies Sunday afternoon.

Nick Lackney (Minnesota) made his first start of the 2017 season. Lackney gave up five hits and two earned runs through six innings, striking out six. He was caught by his college teammate, Eli Wilson (Minnesota).

The Stingers trailed 3-0 heading into the seventh, when Marcus Still (New Mexico State) scored a run off the Duluth pitcher’s error.

Polo Portela (Sac City) then came in to pitch with two inherited runners in the seventh. He struck out the second man he faced, then induced a 4-6-3 double play to hold Duluth scoreless in that inning.  

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Tyler Reichenborn (Iowa Western). 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.

Reichenborn drove in the game-tying run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning, which eventually forced extra innings. He got on base three times in the ballgame with two hits and a walk.

Following Reichenborn’s game-tying ground ball, both teams were scoreless for three more innings. Portela finished the game, giving up only two hits through four innings.

In the bottom of the eleventh, Duluth scored on an error to win it 4-3. The Stingers move to 4-2 on the season.

The Stingers travel to Mankato tomorrow for the first of a home-and-home series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and you can listen live for free at WillmarStingers.com.

The 2017 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers, visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.