WILLMAR -- The Willmar Stingers and Duluth Huskies put on a show that went 11 innings in front of a full house Wednesday at Bill Taunton Stadium on Kandiyohi Power Cooperative Night.
Willmar showed a power surge in the sixth inning when Blake Shepherd slugged a two-run home run to put the Stingers in front 6-4.
But from then on it was the visitors from the Twin Ports providing the only offensive electricity with single runs in the eighth, ninth and 11th to win 7-6.
Ticket sales were announced at 1,475.
Duluth's Brian Hansen, a St. Cloud State Huskie via Rocori High School in Cold Spring, had a hand in each of the three late runs. He scored the team's fifth run, after singling, in the eighth, then knocked in both the tying and winning runs on a fielder's choice each time.
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Floridian Jason Whalen got the win with four innings of strong relief. He gave up three hits, walked none and fanned five Stingers. His ERA dipped to 2.25.
Kurt Spomer, the fourth Stingers pitcher, pitched the 10th and 11th and took the loss, his ERA climbing to 4.96.
Willmar jumped out 3-0 in the first. An infield error got it started. Eduardo Gonzalez, Pat Stover and Jake Stinnett followed with singles, the latter two were RBI hits. Gonzalez would score on a wild pitch.
Duluth got three in the top of the fourth off Tanner Banks. Two Willmar errors amplified the damage from three singles.
Willmar came right back with back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fourth by Mitch Rowan and Jarid Scarafiotti for one run.
Tied 4-4 in the sixth, Scarafiotti walked on four pitches and Shepherd homered.
The teams are back at Baker Field tonight to wrap up the three-game set.
