WILLMAR, MN.- In their most electric win of the season, the Willmar Stingers completed a late-comeback for a series-opening victory over the Minnesota Mud Puppies.
Willmar found itself playing from behind early as the Mud Puppies scored four runs in the third inning.
Joe Roder started it off with a solo home run off Stingers starter Nate Zyzda and Carter Hanson broke the game open with a bases-clearing double later in the inning.
The Stingers got two of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning with an error scoring one and an RBI single from Stone Miyao leading to the other.
Minnesota converted for another run to open up the fourth as with the bases loaded, the Stingers converted a double play to allow a run to score.
Things would be quiet for the next few innings as the Mud Puppies scored their final run in the sixth with an RBI single from Teige Lethert.
After that, it was all Stingers.
A big part of that was the performance of MinnWest Technology Campus Player of the Game Cole Colleran who tossed three and a third shutout innings while striking out five batters.
On the offensive side, two Stinger runs would come home in the seventh with RBI singles from Graysen Tarlow and Sean Rimmer.
A sac fly off the bat of Aidan Byrne would cut the lead to one in the eighth and Miyao drove in the tying run the same fashion an inning later.
Once the game hit extra innings, that’s when Hemponix Relief Pitcher of the Game Chris Rofe would shine as he struck out the side to hold the Mud Puppies scoreless.
When the Stingers were down to their final out of the tenth with a runner on third, a wild pitch would score Luke Williams for the walk off victory.
The Stingers and Mud Puppies will meet for a rematch on Tuesday.
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.
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The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 325 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Stingers as your favorite team.
