ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Willmar Stingers' comeback came up just short Monday evening in Rochester. They fell to 10-10 on the season as a result of their 5-4 loss at Mayo Field.

Brady Shockey (USC) led off the game with a single in the top of the first inning. On his twentieth birthday, it was the first of two hits that he collected in the game. 

Tyler Reichenborn (Iowa Western) then led off the third inning with a triple. It was his second of the season and it got him in position for Shockey's following RBI double. 

The Honkers then responded by hitting three home runs in the third inning and taking a 5-1 lead over Willmar. The Honkers lead the Northwoods League with 22 home runs. 

Two runs came in the sixth inning for Willmar, driven in by Nolan Bumstead (CS-Northridge) and Danny Rodriguez (Bethune-Cookman). Rodriguez has now had four RBI in the last two games.

In the eighth inning, Bumstead blasted his second home run of the season to put the game within one run for the Stingers. It was the second RBI of his evening at the plate.

The Stingers infielders turned three double plays in the game. They are now tied with Duluth atop the Northwoods League with 23 double plays this season. 

Cameron Churchill (Nova Southeastern) gave up four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings on the hill. Following his outing, Luke Chevalier (Northern State) pitched 3 1/3 innings of no-hit ball. 

Additionally, Kale Latorre (Montevallo) and Myles Smith (Georgia Gwinnett) combined for two more scoreless innings, continuing the success of the Stingers' bullpen and keeping the game close as it approached the final out.

Smith now has a 0.90 WHIP and a 2.02 ERA through 13 1/3 innings this year.

Today's Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Nolan Bumstead. 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.

Bumstead has now started in all 20 games as the Stingers' third baseman. 

It was the first overall meeting between the Honkers and the Stingers in 2017. 

Game two is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday evening at Mayo Field. Polo Portela (Sac City) will be making his second start of the season. In his first start, he faced the minimum amount of batters through five innings against Eau Claire last Tuesday.

You can listen live to all games 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.