Jul. 1—WILLMAR — Drey Dirksen had the best game of his Northwoods League career Wednesday night and he did it at home.
The former Willmar Senior High star doubled, homered and drove in five runs in the Willmar Stingers’ 8-3 victory over the Bismarck Larks.
Dirksen, starting at first base, was 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk. He raised his batting average to .225 (16 of 71) and has three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI this season. The Augustana University catcher has a .291 on-base percentage and a .394 slugging percentage.
The difference in this one was walks. Bismarck pitchers issued 16 walks to Wilmar’s four before an announced crowd of 873 at Bill Taunton Stadium. The Larks also hit three batters.
Jack Zigan got the pitching win. The right-hander from Eden Prairie and Minnesota State-Mankato went seven innings to boost his season record to 2-2. He struck out five, walked two and allowed three hits and one earned run.
Jaxon Rosencranz and Derek Shoen homered for Bismarck. Rosencranz is a teammate of Dirksen’s at Augustana. Shoen is a sophomore at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Also in the lineup for the Larks was Jordan Sagedahl. The BOLD High School graduate and South Dakota State player went 1-for-4. He was the designated hitter and batted eighth.
The Larks and Stingers play at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Alexandria’s Knute Nelson Stadium. Willmar will wear the uniforms of the former Alexandria Beetles.
Willmar 8, Bismarck 3
Bismarck 000 100 011-3 5 2
Willmar 002 501 00x-8 6 2
Hitting — Bismarck: Khalid Collymore 0-4 r bb sb, Brant Schaffitzel 0-3 bb, Drew Beazley 0-3 bb, Jaxon Rosencranz 3-4 r hr rbi, Derek Shoen1-1 r hr rbi, Jordan Sagedahl 1-4 … Willmar: Josh Fitzgerald 1-5 r bb sb-2, Carter Howell 0-3 r-2 bb-2 hbp, William Hamiter 0-3 bb hbp-2, Daniel Sayer 0-3 r-2 rbi bb-3, Asa Awbrey 0-2 r bb-3, Drey Dirksen 2-4 r-2 2b hr rbi-5 bb, Blake Shannon 1-3 bb-2, Brady counsell 0-3 bb-2, kaden Hopsen 2-4 rbi bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Bismarck: Justin Goldstein (L) 4-3-7-6-10-4,Jordan Chappell 1-1-0-0-1-0, Zach Reeder 1-2-1-1-1-0, Bret Barnett 1-0-0-0-3-1, Blake Gallagher 1-0-0-0-1-0 … Willmar: Jack Zigan (W, 2-2) 7-3-1-1-2-5, Weston Lombard