ROCHESTER, Minn. – Kenny Roberts’ three-run homer highlighted a five-run fourth inning that gave the Stingers a 7-3 lead as part of a 9-5 victory against the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field Monday night.

Willmar (1-5) earned its first win of the season with a team-high nine runs in a game where every player either scored or had an RBI. Rochester fell to 3-3 with the defeat.

Trailing 3-2 entering the fourth, a Greg Fettes (Kentucky) walk followed by a Logan Allen (Occidental College) single and a walk to Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) loaded the bases. Two batters later, Michael Suchy (Florida Gulf Coast) singled to right to bring home two runs and put Willmar in front, 4-3. Roberts (Alabama) then stepped to the plate and blasted a home run to left field to open up a 7-3 lead.

The fourth inning marked the second time the Stingers erased a deficit with a multi-run frame. In the second, Willmar trailed 2-0, but tied the game with a two-out RBI single by Mitch Rowan (San Francisco), which scored Zach Benson (Stephen F. Austin) after he reached on an error. Rowan’s RBI came two batters after Fettes brought home Steven Brault (Regis) on an RBI groundout.

With a comfortable 7-3 lead, the Stingers added a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Benson and one more in the eighth thanks to an RBI single by Brault. Brault led the offensive charge again, going 2-for-3 with two walks for his third multi-hit game of the season while picking up his team-leading sixth RBI.

Jacob Cage (Azusa Pacific) earned the victory after allowing only one run in three innings of relief for the starter Jerad McCrummen (Texas Tech). McCrummen went four innings in his first start of the year, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out three. Brady Anderson (Florida Gulf Coast) earned the team’s first save of the year after entering the game with the bases loaded in the ninth and getting the final two outs.

Willmar will conclude its five-game road trip with a second game against Rochester. First pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The 2012 season is presented by Charter. For more information on your Willmar Stingers be sure to visit the West Central Tribune at www.wctrib.com.