(Mankato, M.N.)- Last time Tanner Brown and Shane Barringer squared off against one another on the mound, it was a pitchers duel for the ages as Mankato 1-0. This time around, Shane Barringer once again bested Brown as he led Mankato to a 5-2 win.

As the two sides opened up a two-game series, Barringer continued his same excellence as last time out against Willmar. He threw eight innings of scoreless ball, allowing only three hits, striking out seven. He earned his second win of the season against the Stingers with his performance.

His counterpart across the way could not find the same success. Brown threw five innings, and despite striking out eight, allowed five runs on nine hits. Mankato got after Brown early scoring two runs in the first, one in the second and another in the fourth.

The Willmar defense struggled as well as they committed two errors behind Brown in the losing effort.

For the MoonDogs, Michael Curialle led the way, going 2-4 including a triple. Dylan Phillips also had success as he drove in two runs from the plate.

As for Willmar, they found a little success after getting stifled through the first eight innings. In the ninth, Hunter Ranweiler notched a base hit in his first plate appearance of the season, as well as a stolen base. Chase Stanke soon thereafter drove him in on a towering two-run home run to right field to put the Stingers on the board. For Stanke, it marked his second long ball of the season.

However, Nolan Pender ultimately sealed the win by getting Jaxon Hallmark to ground out to end it.

Willmar falls to 18-11 on the season and moves to 4-4 in 2020 against Mankato. The two sides meet again tomorrow night in Willmar for game two of the series with first pitch at 7:05 pm.