WILLMAR, Minn. – The Willmar Stingers won their sixth in a row in a thriller against the Rochester Honkers, scoring two runs in the ninth inning to win it 8-7 in walkoff fashion.

Marcus Still (New Mexico State) led the charge at the plate by getting on base in all five times at the plate. In the first inning, he hit his first of three doubles in the game, coming in to score moments later via Danny Rodriguez's RBI single.

Two more doubles in the third and fifth innings brought his total to three on the day. To add onto his three-XBH day, he added another single and an intentional walk in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, to get on all five times he batted.

Caleb Ledbetter (Montevallo) scored two runs, hitting a double in the second inning and a single in the sixth.

Into the bottom of the ninth inning, however, the Stingers trailed 7-6 and needed a run to continue the ballgame. 

Tyler Reichenborn (Iowa Western) began the inning by taking a pitch of the helmet to take first base. He was subsequently brought in by Luke Becker (Kentucky) on a triple down the right field line. With nobody out, the Stingers had tied it up on Rochester's closer, Garret Cobb.

The Honkers then intentionally walked both Still and Nolan Bumstead (CS-Northridge) to load the bases. That was when Josh Bissonette (Baylor) came to the plate, eager to drive in Willmar's winning run.

On a 2-0 pitch, Bissonette flew the ball into left field just deep enough for Becker to dig for home and score the winning run. 

The win gives the Stingers a two game lead in the North Division, as the Mankato MoonDogs lost earlier this evening to the Eau Claire Express.

Today's Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Marcus Still. 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.

Still finished the day 4-for-4 with 2 RBI and one run. He was also named tonight's NWL Player of the Night.

The Stingers move to 13-5 on the second half and 31-23 overall before they head to Eau Claire tomorrow for a split doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. from Carson Park. Connor Herd (Mercer) is expected to start in game one, and Cameron Churchill (Nova Southeastern) is expected to start in game two at 7:05 p.m.

It will be their first of two trips to Eau Claire this week. Thursday, they return to the Bee Hive to host the Honkers for another two-game set.

Tickets for all future home games are available online at WillmarStingers.com or by calling the Stingers' ticket office at 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.