Big Sticks win season opener in tightly contested 4-3 outing against Spearfish
May 25—DICKINSON — A new league and a new coach, but still the same old Badlands Big Sticks winning mentality took to Astoria Field at South Side Ball Park in Dickinson on Tuesday evening.
The Independence League season opener featured two Great Plain division teams going hit for hit under the lights.
The Big Sticks victory did not come without obstacles, with an early deficit requiring tenacity and smart baseball to overcome.
"It ended up being a pretty close game there, but we did a really good job in the eighth inning to scratch one across for an extra insurance run," Cam Johnson, Big Sticks head coach, said. "We made a really good play there at third base in the last inning to save a run. It gave us a chance to win it and Eric Kessler came in and shut the door. He did a great job."
A two-run home run courtesy of Spearfish's Gabe Springer at the top of the third would give a 2-0 advantage, before the Big Sticks would inch their way back in the fourth with a run of their own, before taking another two in the fifth.
The Big Sticks would hold their one-score lead through seven before extending it to two in the eighth inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly by local standout Cade Ostenson.
Micah Gibson became the first starter to deliver a strong performance from a rotation that appears to be among the top in the division on paper. The right-hander allowed only two runs, on a pitch that stayed a bit too much over the plate and resulted in a home run, over 4 1/3 innings.
"Micah had a really good outing for us," Johnson said. "I sat him down because he was mad about giving up that two-run shot. I said, 'It was one pitch man. You had one bad pitch in your whole outing and it was just two runs. Other than that you did a really good job to keep it at only two,' He battled through some adversity early. We weren't really clean on defense out the gate, but we all did a good job at hanging in there."
Coming out of the bullpen in relief in the fourth inning was local talent Trent Richter. Richter compiled a great outing, becoming the first Big Sticks pitcher to claim a win. Eric Kessler would come in to close the game.
"Trent Ritcher came in, gave us really good relief innings," Johnson said. "He really had hitters off balance and just did an awesome job. Overall it was a really good tough team win out of the gate and I am proud of those guys."
The Sasquatch squad tried a late ninth-inning rally, but would fall short as Kessler closed the door.
"This place is awesome," Johnson said. "I got here on Friday and I feel like I have been here for a lot longer... Our guys love it. They really appreciate everything that the community does for them and I do too. Dave and Jason and everyone here has done a really good job to put our guys in a spot to be successful and it makes my job a little easier."
The Big Sticks will continue the three-game series in Dickinson on Wednesday and Thursday, before making the hop south to Spearfish for a rematch series on Friday.
