Willmar, Minn.—The Stingers are still on top of the Great Plains Division after a 1-0 victory over the Rochester Honkers. The Stingers will face off with the Honkers again tomorrow at Bill Taunton Stadium in Willmar.

Garret Rukes (Alabama) was lights out for Willmar on the mound. He went a summer high, seven completed innings. Rukes gave up five hits without allowing a run. The lefty was efficient on the mound issuing one walk and striking out four Rochester batters.

It was Sam Baier (Augustana) that scored the lone run of the game in the first. He crossed home on a Tyler Bosetti (Nevada) ground ball that was kept in the infield. 1-0 Stingers. It was zeros across the board for the rest of the game. Rukes battled when runners reached base in five of the seven innings he pitched. A huge point in the game came in the seventh when Rukes struck out the fifth batter of the inning with runners on the corners. The game remained at 1-0 Stingers.

Jake Marsh (Bethel) pitched through the eighth inning for Willmar. He gave up a two-out single, but then made a nice play on a hard ground ball back at him to complete the inning. Aldo Fernandez (New Mexico State) closed things out for the Stingers. It was three up and three down for Rochester in the top of the ninth. Fernandez was awarded the save in a 1-0 Stingers victory.