WILLMAR, MN – The Willmar Stingers fell to the St. Cloud Rox tonight, 4-1.

St. Cloud was able to tie the series in the low-scoring affair in Bill Taunton Stadium. The Rox improve to a Great Plains West best 11-2 record, as the Stingers go back to .500 at 7-7.

Both starting pitchers, Caleb Saari (Willmar) and Hunter Day (St. Cloud) worked quickly on the mound. Both were extremely efficient with both of their pitch counts under 25 pitches in the first two innings.

It was the Rox who jumped out first with a two-run homer from second baseman Magnum Hofstetter with two outs in the third inning.

The Stingers chipped into the lead in the bottom of the fourth after Will Hodo hit a triple sending home Aidan Byrne from first base. Hodo would go on to be the MinnWest Technology Campus Player of the Game, as he went 3-4 on the night and scored Willmar’s lone run.

St. Cloud would double their lead in the seventh after Hofstetter hit a two-RBI double sending runner home from first and second. Hofstetter entered the game with only three RBIs on the season, he was able to surpass that amount in four at-bats tonight against the Stingers.

The game would end 4-1 after Rox closer Chase Grillo threw four strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth. He was able to obtain four in an inning after Drey Dirksen was able to reach on a dropped third strike.

Day would be given the win for his six-inning, one-run performance and Saari would be given the loss after his six-inning, two-run outing.

The Stingers are back in Bill Taunton Stadium tomorrow for a two-game home series against the Rochester Honkers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.