WILLMAR, Minn. – Willmar scored multiple runs in four-straight innings to open up a 13-2 lead after six in a game the Stingers eventually won against Waterloo, 13-8, at Bill Taunton Stadium Wednesday night.
Hunter Dozier (Stephen F. Austin) led the offensive surge by the Stingers with a 3-for-4 day at the plate that included a solo home run and three RBIs. Dozier’s homer to left-center field in the third inning broke a 1-1 tie and put Willmar in front for good. Dozier’s performance earned him Northwoods League Player of the Night honors.
The Stingers broke the game wide open with a five-run fourth inning on two hits, three walks and a hit batter. Mitch Rowan (San Francisco) drove home the first run on an RBI single to score Zach Benson (Stephen F. Austin), who led off the inning with a walk. After J.D. Dorgan (St. Thomas) scored on a throwing error, Michael Suchy (Florida Gulf Coast) came to the plate two batters later with the bases loaded. Suchy walked to pick up his sixth RBI of the season. Kenny Roberts (Alabama) followed by being hit by a pitch to earn his sixth RBI in the team’s last three games, and Steve Talbott (Purdue) hit into an RBI groundout to give Willmar a 7-1 lead. Talbott had both an RBI and a run scored in his Stinger debut.
Willmar added three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to put the game out of reach. Steven Brault’s (Regis) two-run double with two outs in the sixth capped off the offensive showcase to make the score 13-2. Brault finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Brualt now leads the team with a .433 batting average and 10 RBIs through the club’s first eight games.
Willmar improved to 3-5 on the season with the team’s third-straight victory, while the last remaining undefeated team in the Northwoods League, the Waterloo Bucks, fell to 7-1.
The Stingers used patience at the plate to fuel a large part of their rallies, earning 13 walks in the ballgame. Willmar had the leadoff man reach base in seven of the team’s eight at-bats with six of those occurrences being courtesy of a base on balls.
Willmar will look to continue its winning streak with another game against Waterloo at Bill Taunton Stadium Thursday night at 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.
