The Badlands Big Sticks bats got going in the middle of the contest with Souris Valley on Sunday afternoon giving them the series win and a 12-7 victory.
The bottom of the sixth inning was the catalyst for the win and shortstop Wyatt Setian was the player who did the most to make sure the Big Sticks came out on top.
The slugger from Montana State University-Billings hit two home runs, drove in six runs and was feet away from a grand slam.
“I was hitting pitches. I have been here before and I know what I like to hit and what I don’t like to hit...,” Setian said. “It was a rough little stop but the more pitches and the more reps you get, (the better it gets).”
In the third inning, Setian blasted a shot over the left field wall driving in right fielder Mason Schwellenbach who reached on an infield single. The bomb put the Big Sticks down only one run by a score of 3-2.
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He almost hit another ball out of the yard in the same spot in the sixth inning, but it hit the fence allowing Schwellenbach, Marcus Wohl and right fielder Gunnar Garpestad to score tying the game at 7-7.
In the next at bat Badlands first baseman Conner VanCleave gave Badlands their first lead of the game with a ground ball down the third base and left field line driving in Setian.
Setian went 3-4 in the win with the two long balls, a double and 6 RBI.
Setian says that he tries to stay consistent, but that he has been known to have a breakout game every so often.
‘Wyatt did a fantastic job. That was awesome,” Big Sticks head coach Billy Tomblin said. “I think he busted my forearm on that second home run when he came around third. What a fantastic day for him.”
In the first inning, the Sabre Dogs came out hot putting three runs on the board and they extended their lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning when catcher Cullen Hannigan stole second base with left fielder Tim Conway on third base and a bad throw down to second brought Conway home.
Despite the big day, the Big Sticks were out hit 14-10.
Badlands struck back in the bottom of the fifth as Schwellenbach drove in Marcus Hughes with a line drive double in the gap between center field and right field.
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Third baseman Gaylan Young recorded a sacrifice fly to right field driving home Setian and bringing the score back to a one run game in 5-4.
A double by Conway gave Souris Valley a 7-4 lead in the top of the sixth, but Badlands overcame adversity with Setian’s big hit in the bottom half of the frame.
The Sabre Dog, down 8-7 at this point, looked to take the lead in the top of the next inning.
They had no outs with runners on first and second.
Logan Siblerud struck out a batter, then hit a batter to load the bases. A ground ball was hit between first and second base but the Sabre Dog’s first baseman Bo McClintock was hit with the grounder making it a dead ball, him out and the runners on second and third could not advance home.
“Once it hits the base runner, it is runner interference and he is out,” Tomlin said. “All other base runners have to retreat back to their original base.”
Siblerud recorded another K to get out of the inning.
Cadyn Schwabe and Garpestad recorded RBI in the eighth giving the Big Sticks a 12-7 lead and breathing room with only three more outs until victory.
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Schwellenbach and Young both went 2-4 at the plate with one RBI.
