ALEXANDRIA - Every couple of years, the Willmar Stingers go nuts in Alexandria.
Two years ago, the Stingers set their team record scoring 24 runs in Alexandria.
On Monday, Willmar threatened that mark, blowing out the Blue Anchors 22-6 behind 19 hits, seven of which went for extra bases. It was the team’s second-highest single-game run output.
Ky Parrott hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the fifth inning, and Storm Wilson hit a two-run homer. Perrott finished with five runs batted in, and Wilson and Eddie Estrada both had three RBIs.
The Stingers will attempt to keep the hot hitting going in the second game of a four-game set against the Blue Anchors at 7:05 p.m. today at Bill Taunton Stadium. The teams return to Alexandria for a 12:05 p.m. game Wednesday, then bus back to Willmar to play a 7:05 p.m. game Wednesday at Taunton Stadium.
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The Stingers are 14-9 in the second half of the Northwoods League North Division season, 3-1/2 games back of division-leading St. Cloud.
Estrada has played impressively the last two weeks. The Litchfield native and University of Minnesota recruit was hitting .224 after the first game of a July 11 doubleheader.
In the second game, he started a nine-game hitting streak during which he’s batting .561, raising his season average to .364. He’s also driven in at least one run in 10 straight games.
Wilson was 4-for-5 and Billy Quirke was 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Dan Motl had two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice, and Dylan Alexander had two hits and drove in two and Brian Pruett also drove in two runs.
Tyler Hanson, who entered the game with a 2.15 earned-run average, wasn’t as effective as he has been but he got through six innings to pick up the win. Jason Ortiz notched an unconventional save, working the final three innings and allowing just three hits while striking out three.
