WILLMAR, MN – The Willmar Stingers handled business tonight defeating the Eau Claire Express, 10-2.
The Stingers were hot from start to finish as every Stinger in the lineup was able to get a hit in tonight’s contest.
The scoring would get underway in the first when Willmar jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an error scoring Brett Bateman and Will Hodo getting an RBI in his return to the lineup. Hodo would also homer later in the game and would finish the game with three RBIs.
In the next inning, the Stingers were able to double their lead with a two-run bomb from Jakob Christian, homering for his second time of the season.
Christian would go on to be tonight’s MinnWest Technology Campus Player of the Game. He would have three straight at-bats where he would score a runner in the batter’s box. He would finish the game going 3-4 with four RBIs and a home run.
The Express threatened the Stinger’s lead in the fourth when Trevor Haskins sent out a two-run bomb of his own. However, the Stingers would go on to score six runs within the next three innings to put the game way out of reach.
The win would be attributed to Smith Pinson in his first start as a Stinger. He pitched seven innings, giving up two runs and striking out six. The loss would be given to Eau Claire’s starting pitcher Alec Baker.
The Stingers move to 17-12 and have five more games until the end of the first half of the Northwoods League season. Although the St. Cloud Rox have clinched the first playoff spot in the Great Plains West, Willmar is looking to build momentum heading into a clean slate second half.
Meanwhile, Eau Claire is very much alive and in their quest to secure a first-half playoff spot out of the Great Plains East. They currently hold a 1.5-game lead over the Duluth Huskies as both teams are looking for an edge as the first half is coming to a close.
Tomorrow, the Stingers will travel to Alexandria for the last game of a four-game series against the Express. The Stingers will become the Beetles as they travel to Knute Nelson Memorial Ballpark in a yearly tradition beloved by the community. The first pitch of Alexandria Beetle Night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
