Willmar, Minn.- The Willmar Stingers continued to play good baseball, defeating the Eau Claire Express by a final score of 12-5 for their fifth consecutive victory.

Things started out well for the Stingers, in the first inning Willmar was able to put four runs on the board the big blow to the Express was an Eric Yang (UC Santa Barbara) two run shot over the left field wall. The homer put Willmar up 4-0 after one inning of play.

Eau Claire came back in the third, scoring four runs off of Willmar starter Johnathan McKinney (Georgia Gwinnett), only two of the four runs in the inning were earned because of an error by second basemen Jaxon Hallmark (Nebraska). After the third McKinney settled down finishing five innings, with two strikeouts and allowing six hits.

Willmar would continue to pour it on as the game continued. Cal Elvers (Miami, Ohio) hit a towering shot over the left field wall, plating three runs contributing to a big five run third inning for the Stingers.

Willmar would not look back, Eric Yang collected two more RBIs in that third inning and won the CDI Stingers’ player of the night.

Willmar will play Eau Claire tomorrow night for game two of this two game series.

The 2018 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.