Home Cookin': Stingers Overpower Rox
Published on August 6, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Willmar Stingers News Release
WILLMAR, Minn. - The Stingers played like all-stars on a night when the first 500 fans into Bill Taunton Stadium received a package of trading cards complete with every players and coach, hammering the St. Cloud Rox by a final of 11-3. The win tips the season series to the Stingers as Willmar laid claim to victory in five of the eight games between the Highway 23 rivals. Colin Poche earned his fifth win of the season, Marc Flores closed in on the franchise record for RBI in a season and Nick Halamandaris' bat glowed white hot as the Stingers stayed in the thick of the Northwoods League North Division playoff race.
The Stingers wasted no time battering St. Cloud starter Evan Wolf, scoring three runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Michael Suchy singled to left, Danny Brennan laid down a perfect drag bunt and Zack Tillery reached after being hit by a pitch - all in the first three pitches. Marc Flores then recorded a pair of RBI, bringing his season total to 61, just one shy of the record established by Suchy (Florida Gulf Coast) in 2012. Nick Halamandaris continued his recent tear at the plate with a RBI single that scored Tillery (Florida Gulf Coast) and gave the Stingers their early 3-0 lead.
Halamandaris (California) the CDI player of the game for the third time in as many days, put Willmar ahead 7-2 in the 5th inning on a towering three-run homer to right field that scored Flores (Hawaii) and Max Kuhn (Kentucky). Halamandaris finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI and the home run was his fifth of the season.
Poche (Arkansas) pitched six strong innings and withstanding hiccups in the 2nd and 7th innings, Poche stifled the Rox for much of the game. The left-hander struck out seven batters and shut down the Rox' Adam Martin, the 2013 NWL home run derby champ. Martin finished 0-4 with three infield popups. Poche ran into trouble in the 7th though, and Bobby McCormack came into the game to stem the tide and get the Stingers out of the jam. McCormack (Baylor) registered two strikeouts over the course of 1.2 innings and extended his wildly impressive scoreless streak to 11 games. Over that span, McCormack has logged 15.2 innings and has reduced his ERA from 5.93 to 2.76 while opponents average against has dwindled from .245 to .194.
The Stingers are now tied with the Mankato MoonDogs in the wildcard race as both teams trail the Duluth Huskies by a game.
The 2013 season is presented by Charter. For more on your Willmar Stingers please visit the West Central Tribune at www.wctrib.com.
Northwoods League Stories from August 6, 2013
- Baker Shines in Win - Rochester Honkers
- MoonDogs Bounce Back with Win over Bullfrogs - Mankato MoonDogs
- Huskies Use Five-Run Seventh to Defeat Woodchucks 9-4 - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rox vs. Wisconsin Rapids Postponed - St. Cloud Rox
- Bark in the Park Rescheduled, Bring Your Dog to the Shipyard For - Alexandria Blue Anchors
- Rafters Postponed, Will Play Double Header with St Cloud on Wednesday - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Blue Anchors/Loggers Game Postponed - Alexandria Blue Anchors
- Express and Border Cats Rained Out - Eau Claire Express
- Bucks Set Franchise Record for Wins; Ziznewski Named NWL Player of the Night - Waterloo Bucks
- Mallards Start Second Round of Inter-Division Play Today in Willmar - Madison Mallards
- Blue Anchors Lose Extra-Innings Heartbreaker to Bucks - Alexandria Blue Anchors
- Mallards Snap Six-Game Skid with Three Late Runs against Rafters - Madison Mallards
- Home Cookin': Stingers Overpower Rox - Willmar Stingers
- Huskies Snap MoonDogs' Streak at Six, Earn Series Split - Mankato MoonDogs
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