Big Sticks Win Nailbiter in Extra Innings against Willmar
Northwoods Badlands Big Sticks

Big Sticks Win Nailbiter in Extra Innings against Willmar

Published on July 23, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Badlands Big Sticks News Release


DICKINSON, ND - The Badlands Big Sticks (27-27 overall, 9-11 second half) fought tooth and nail with the Willmar Stingers (30-25 overall, 14-5 second half) in the series finale, eventually outlasting and taking the victory to split the four-game set on Wednesday night.

The Stingers unlocked the offense once again in the top of the 1st inning with a little league play where Kai Gonzaga scored after Merrick Rapoza got caught in a rundown between first and second base.

Both starting pitchers, Seth Broadwell (Keiser University) for Badlands and Ryan Dalager for Willmar, pitched excellent baseball for the next four innings until Willmar scored again in the 5th inning on an RBI groundout by Paris Pridgen.

The Big Sticks countered in the bottom of the 5th inning when Derek Martinez (Arkansas State) hit a sacrifice fly that scored Blake Beheler (Blinn JC) to make the score 2-1.

Badlands then put up one in the next two innings, scoring on a solo home run by Ryder Hernandez (Incarnate Word) to lead off the 6th inning, then plating one run in the 7th inning when John Youens (Baylor) hit an RBI single, scoring Beheler and taking the lead 3-2.

With two outs in the top of the 9th inning, Pridgen hit a broken-bat, swinging-bunt single down the 3rd base line that scored Matthew Bernath. The Big Sticks could not rally for another run in the bottom of the 9th inning, sending the game to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th inning, the runner placed at 2nd base to start the inning was picked off by Gavyn Schlotterback (Kansas) on the mound, taking the immediate threat off the basepaths. Schlotterback then worked a scoreless 10th inning and kept the game tied at 3-3.

In the bottom of the 10th, Martinez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the placed runner up to 3rd base with one out. Youens was intentionally walked, putting runners on the corners for Hernandez, who laid down a squeeze bunt that ended up getting the lead runner at home for the second out. However, Youens advanced to 3rd and Hernandez advanced to 2nd on the same play.

Dylon Myrow (Nebraska) was then intentionally walked to load the bases, which brought up Jace Jarrett (Dawson CC).

Starting the at-bat from the stretch, Willmar's pitcher, Braden Cork, dealt with pressure from Youens on 3rd base, who baited the reliever into stepping off before the second pitch of the at-bat. After stepping off, Cork then stepped on the rubber to go from the stretch, which was called a balk by the umpires and scored Youens, winning the game in the 10th inning 4-3.

Badlands managed to split the four-game set with second half divisional leader Willmar, grabbing the win in the first extra-inning game at home this season. The chase for the playoffs will continue after a rest day on Thursday with a road battle with the Duluth Huskies, with first pitch scheduled for Friday evening at 6:05 p.m. MST.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 23, 2026


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