{"id":16364,"date":"2023-06-26T12:45:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T12:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/willmar-stingers\/?p=16364"},"modified":"2023-07-09T23:15:27","modified_gmt":"2023-07-09T23:15:27","slug":"stingers-host-the-mud-puppies-for-great-plains-matchup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/willmar-stingers\/2023\/06\/26\/stingers-host-the-mud-puppies-for-great-plains-matchup\/","title":{"rendered":"Stingers Host The Mud Puppies For Great Plains Matchup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Dain Solberg<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo Courtesy of Dennis Benson<\/span><\/p>\n

The Matchup: <\/b>The Willmar Stingers (20-6) will take on the Minnesota Mud Puppies (16-10) for a two game series on June 26 and 27 at Bill Taunton Stadium.<\/span><\/p>\n

By The Numbers: <\/b>The Stingers are currently leading the league in RBI (172). Individually, Kyle Payne (Northwest Nazarene University) leads Willmar hitters with 20 RBI in 20 games.<\/span><\/p>\n

Players To Watch: <\/b>Catcher Graysen Tarlow (California State Northridge) will be the player to watch. Tarlow reported to Willmar in early June and has been noticed quickly producing 12 hits in 34 AB\u2019s and has a .353 batting average. He has split time between catcher and first base with Northwoods League Veteran Drey Dirksen (Augustana University) who is on the radar for the upcoming MLB Draft in Seattle, WA. As a team, the Stingers are batting .279.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Minnesota, The player to watch is infielder Isaac Nett (Southwest Minnesota State University). Nett currently has a .522 batting average and has driven in seven runs and crossed the plate ten times and has collected 12 hits in 23 ABs. Nett was a transfer from Minnesota State Mankato and was named to the All-NSIC first team a season ago. As a team, the Mud Puppies are batting .266.<\/span><\/p>\n

Probable Pitchers: <\/b>On the hill, Stingers fans will likely see Nate Zyzda (Northeast Community College) who has a 6.19 ERA. Zyzda has a 1-1 record in four appearances including 12 strikeouts and allowed eight free passes in 16.0 innings of work. As a team, Willmar posts a 3.51 ERA.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the hill, Mud Puppies fans will see Jacob Mrosko (St. Thomas) who has a 6.19 ERA. Mrosko has a 1-1 record in three appearances and has collected 19 strikeouts and only allowed five free passes in 16.0 innings of work. As a team, Minnesota posts a 7.87 ERA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keys To The Series:<\/b><\/p>\n