NWL Baseball: Stingers quiet Honkers, move closer in North

ROCHESTER - A big fifth inning and an outstanding start by Tyler Hanson helped the Willmar Stingers close out a four-game road trip with a 7-1 victory over Rochester in a Northwoods League game on Friday.
Willmar’s Eddie Estrada was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, and Ky Parrott and Tyler Leffler both had two RBIs.
Hanson worked the first seven innings, allowing just four hits and Ryan Summers solo home run in the third inning that tied the game 1-1.
The Stingers improved to 10-6 in the North Division second half and are tied with Waterloo in second place, 1-1/2 game behind the first-place St. Cloud Rox.
The Stingers open a brief, two-game homestand against Mankato at 7:05 p.m. today at Bill Taunton Stadium.
Willmar and the MoonDogs play a 6:06 p.m. game Sunday before the league shuts down for three days for the NWL All-Star Game at Wisconsin Rapids.
Stinger position players Dan Motl and Storm Wilson, and pitchers Brady Anderson and Dakota Belter represent the team on the North All-Star Team. Wilson also will compete in the Home Run Derby.
Against Rochester, the Stingers opened the scoring in the third when Motl singled and stole second.
Sean Beesley and Reagan Fowler drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, and Parrott drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to center field.
After the Honkers tied the game, Troy Dixon drew a fourth-inning walk, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Leffler’s single to center.
Willmar broke the game open in the fifth. Beesley and Fowler walked and Parrott singled to drive in Beesley. Two wild pitches brought Fowler around to score.
Lucas Tancas drew a walk ahead of Estrada, who singled to center to bring home Parrott and Fowler.
Leffler drove in Estrada with the inning’s fifth run with a single.
After Hanson exited after seven innings, Jason Ortiz and Tyler Heitmann combined to pitch two perfect innings and close out the win.