WILLMAR, Minn. – The Stingers dropped the first game of two to the Bismarck Larks with a final score of 7-4 Thursday evening.

Bismarck got off to an early lead with a grand slam in the third inning. They followed that with a three-run top of the fourth.

Myles Smith (Georgia Gwinnett) then came into the game. He worked his way through five and 1/3 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball. It was his fourth appearance and the longest of any relief pitcher this season. He struck out six batters total and had three 1-2-3 innings.

The Stingers began to chip away in the seventh inning when Nate Sterijevski (Bethune-Cookman) drove in Nolan Bumstead (CS-Northridge) for the Stingers' second run of the day.

An inning later, Tyler Reichenborn (Iowa Western) and Marcus Still (New Mexico State) each scored a run to bring the game within three runs. Brady Shockey (USC) drove in Still with a sacrifice fly.

Bismarck's starter Tyler Steele went eight innings and gave up three runs to the Stingers. In the ninth inning, Jeff Lindgren retired the Stingers, keeping them from extending the game.

Today's Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Myles Smith. 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 move to 9-8 on the season.

The Stingers and the Larks will play game two tomorrow at Knute Nelson Memorial Park in Alexandra, Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the game is officially sold out.

They will return home to Willmar Saturday evening to begin a home-and-home series with the Mankato MoonDogs. Tickets for all games at Bill Taunton Stadium are available at WillmarStingers.com or by calling 320-222-2010.

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.