If Friday night's matchup between the Spearfish Sasquatch and the Badlands Big Sticks was a hint of what's to come for the rest of the series, it will be an exciting weekend of baseball.

Spearfish third baseman Gabe Springer hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to close the scoring gap to one run, but the Sasquatch ultimately fell to the Big Sticks 7-6 in game one of a three-game set in Spearfish.

Sasquatch starting pitcher Jack Hostetler struggled to retire the Badlands hitters throughout his short start on the mound, going 3 innings and allowing six runs, four earned, on seven hits.

The Sasquatch were looking to win their fourth game in a row a night after sweeping the Gem City Bison in three games at home.

After falling behind in the fourth inning 6-1, the Squatch loaded the bases with one out. The Big Sticks elected to take their starter, Devyn Hernandez, out of the game after he had thrown a pitch to Gabe Springer, batting ninth. Kobe Krenz came out of the bullpen in relief, but ended up surrendering a grand slam over the left field wall from Springer to make it a 6-5 game.

Each team's offense scored a run in their half of the fifth inning, but the relief efforts from both bullpens kept the game at 7-6 as the Big Sticks took game one of the series.

The bottom third of the Squatch lineup did most of the damage against the Big Sticks, with Nicky Winterstein and Bryson Hoier both going 2-for-3, followed by Gabe Springer's 1-for-3 night, driving in 4 runs on his grand slam.

Hostetler was relieved by Wyatt Adams, who went 3.1 innings of five-hit, one-run ball out of the Sasquatch bullpen. Adams came into the game with runners on first and second and one out, eventually getting out of the jam with a 4-6-3 double play. Dylan Richey pitched the final 2.2 innings of work for Spearfish, allowing no runs on three hits.

The efforts from the bullpen fell short, as the Squatch offense was unable to score after the fifth inning. The Sasquatch and Big Sticks only utilized three pitchers each tonight, as the game one matchup hinted at an exciting weekend ahead as both teams have gained momentum offensively.

The Sasquatch fall to 8-17 on the season as they look to avenge tonight's loss against the 16-8 Big Sticks on Saturday night.