Mankato, Minn.- On Monday the Willmar Stingers took on the Mankato MoonDogs to start a two game series. Willmar scored early and often leading to a 9-5 victory.

In the first inning Eli Wilson (Minnesota) grounded into a 4-6 fielder’s choice allowing Matt Rudick (San Diego St) to score giving Willmar a 1-0 lead over the MoonDogs.

In the third inning Willmar pushed across two more runs thanks to another Wilson RBI on a single that once again scored Rudick. Later in the inning John Trousdale (Alabama) drove in a run on a sac fly to center scoring Nic Hernandez (Cal Poly Pomona). After two innings Willmar led 3-0.

Willmar’s biggest inning was in the fourth. The Stingers put up six runs in the inning after the first two men were retired. The inning included a stretch of nine straight Stinger players reaching base safely. Willmar scored six in the inning and extended there lead to 9-0. In the bottom half of the inning the MoonDogs answered scoring five runs of their own but it wasn’t enough.

Willmar’s bullpen pitched 5.1 scoreless innings leading to a 9-5 final.

Willmar takes on Mankato again tomorrow night for game two of the 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.