WILLMAR, MN.- Looking for a season-opening series sweep, the Willmar Stingers didn’t get the result they were hoping for as the Eau Claire Express came out on top 11-7.

The Express pounced early in the game with two runs in the first inning, making the day uncomfortable right off the bat for Stingers’ starting pitcher Nate Zyzda.

Zyzda pitched 3.1 innings of work and committed four errors in the field.

Those errors were part of the reason the Express were able to break the game open in the fourth inning.

Eau Claire scored seven runs in the inning with the big blow coming from Ryan Nagelbach who went deep for his first home run of the season.

While all that was going on, Express starting pitcher Spencer Wright was pitching a gem as he would throw five no-hit innings.

In an inning which started off with MinnWest Technology Player of the Game Jordan Sagedahl getting hit by a pitch, the Stingers would finally break through in the sixth with seven runs coming across and five hits to finally break through in both columns.

Those would be the final runs of the game for either side as both pitching staff’s would be on lockdown to secure the Eau Claire victory with a big performance coming from Hemponix Relief Pitcher of the Game Michael Chevalier, throwing two innings of shutout baseball.

Willmar now gets set to hit the road for a two-game series with the Bismarck Larks with the first game on Friday. For more coverage of the Stingers, visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com. The 2023 season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group, empowering investors with powerful financial advice.