Despite posting a 16-7 record going into the matchup, the Sasquatch were no match for their visitors — Sometimes a team catches fire and it’s best to get out of the way.
After a series of close games and lower scoring affairs, the Big Sticks offense exploded as they defeated Spearfish 16-3 for their sixth consecutive win.
The scoring came in bunches as Badlands put up three or more runs in four different innings.
Down 1-0 going into the top of the third, the biggest bats in the Big Sticks lineup got going with five runs in the inning.
Carson Lundmark, Joe Osborn, Travis Ray Jr. and Angel De La Cruz each had an RBI in the frame. Those four, in that order, are who lead the Big Sticks in RBI this summer.
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The scoring wasn’t even close to being finished as Badlands got to work the very next inning. Three more runs were added with the help of Lundmark and De La Cruz to extend their lead 8-1.
The hosts tacked on a couple of runs in the fifth to cut into the lead 8-3, but the Big Sticks responded yet again with another big inning.
Lundmark had another two-run single in the sixth inning followed by a De La Cruz RBI single which was a part of a four run inning for Badlands, now holding a 12-3 lead.
Keeping the Sasquatch in check while the Big Sticks scored runs for fun was the trio of Anthony Rodriguez, Calvin Watkins and Casten Reed. They combined for 12 strikeouts and four walks.
Just for good measure, Badlands would tack on four more runs in the final innings for their highest scoring output of the season.
Lundmark finished the game with seven RBI which pushed him atop the team RBI leaderboard with 25. He did this on four hits, a season high, in what was his best game of the season.
The Big Sticks were successful in placing runs on the board, despite having only three of the 13 team hits go for extra-bases — with each of the three extra base hits being doubles.
Ray Jr. had three hits, the second time he achieved that in a game this summer while Osborn and De La had two hits apiece.
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Badlands have rebounded as well as they could have imagined from a slow start, having won 11 of their last 13 games. They now sit in second place in the Lewis division, 4.5 games behind the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs, who are on a hot streak themselves, winners of eight in a row.
The Big Sticks will welcome the Mining City Tommyknockers, who have lost four in a row, to Dakota Community Bank and Trust ballpark this weekend for a three game series starting on Friday.
