Willmar, Minn. — Brian Kehner was rolling Thursday night, but one late bump proved to be the difference in a 2-1 Stingers loss to La Crosse at Bill Taunton Stadium.

After going 7 2/3 innings without giving up a run, Kehner gave up just his fifth hit of the night with a runner at second base. Unfortunately, the hit was a two-run home run by the Loggers' Jordan Zimmerman that put La Crosse ahead for good in that eighth inning.

But even in the loss, the Stingers' southpaw starter had another quality performance, which was his second straight. Kehner has now gone a combined 15 innings in his last two starts, and has allowed just two earned runs between those starts. After not surrendering any earned runs in seven innings his last time out, Kehner retired the first seven hitters he faced Thursday night. He went on to strike out six batters in his eight innings, without giving up a walk for his second straight start. 

The biggest moment of the night came in the top of the sixth inning with the Stingers ahead by one. Kehner gave up two hits and a fielder's choice to load the bases with no one out. But Kehner locked it down from there. He got Zimmerman to line out to centerfield, and then struck out the Loggers' number three hitter Brock Lundquist for the second out of the inning. With La Crosse's clean up hitter at the plate, Kehner got Jordan Pearce to fly out to center to end the threat and keep the Stingers on top. 

The Stingers (40-21, 17-10 second half) got their only offense on a fourth inning solo home run from Storm Wilson, his fifth big fly of the season. 

Willmar will try for the series split with La Crosse on Friday night at the Beehive with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Friday night is Barry Kickball Giveaway Night, with the first 250 kids getting a Barry Kickball. 

The 2015 Stingers season is presented by Marcus Construction. For more coverage of the Stingers visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com. 

Tonight’s Center for Diagnostic Imaging player of the game was Brian Kehner. CDI is your local medical imaging provider. It’s your choice where you go for medical imaging, for MRI, CT, mammograms and pain injections, choose CDI. Visit online at myCDI.com/CentralMN.

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com.