WILLMAR, MN – It was a windy night at Bill Taunton Stadium, and the Willmar Stingers pulled out another win, this time 5-4 over the Bismarck Larks.

The Larks got on the board for two in the top half of the 1st, but that wouldn’t last for long.

Andrew Sojka (CSUN) took the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the inning, and put it over the right field fence for his league-leading 12th home run of the season, and is now just one home run shy from tying the Northwoods League Career record set at 30.

Willmar tied the game up at two in the first and then took the lead in the 2nd on a Sojka sacrifice fly.

After Bismarck tied it back up at three, Willmar put up two in the 5th thanks to some havoc on the basepaths, and made it 5-3 Stingers.

That is all the lead the bullpen would need as Will Eldridge (Indiana Wesleyan), Matthew Kitzman (Bradley) and Brett Barfield (Georgia Tech) combined for 6 innings, allowing just one run.

Eldridge was first and earned Hemponix Relief Pitcher of the Game honors, going three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six.

Kitzman pitched the 7th and after loading up the bases with nobody out, struck out three straight Larks, ending the threat.

Barfield pitched a two inning save and Willmar earned their fourth win of the season over Bismarck.

Tomorrow night Larks and Stingers meet up again at Bill Taunton Stadium for the final game of the first half, with first pitch at 6:35 pm.

For more coverage of the Stingers, visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com. The 2024 season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group, empowering investors with powerful financial advice.

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. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 350 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 (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team 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.