Willmar holds off Kilowatts

GRANITE FALLS -- Anthony Stern's insurance run in the top of the ninth was cashed in as the Willmar Rails held on to beat the Granite Falls Kilowatts 5-4 in a Cornbelt League amateur baseball game Friday.

Stern's single to center field scored a run to give Willmar (2-2, 2-2) a 5-3 lead.

Granite Falls plated a run in the bottom of the ninth on Andrew Walters' single, but he was stranded at second base as David Anderson picked up the save.

The Kilowatts (0-4, 0-4) took a 1-0 lead on Craig Listul's solo home run to left in the second inning.

Willmar scored three in the top of the fourth on five hits. Matt Carlson and John Sawatzky each singled in a run. Sawatzky had three of Willmar's 10 hits. Josh Dahlke went 2-for-4 and scored two runs.

Chad Listul smacked a solo homer in fifth to cut the lead to 4-3.

Jason Scheffler pitched the first eight innings for the win. He scattered eight hits, while walking one and striking out four. Anderson picked up the save with a scoreless inning of relief.

Tyler Kanten was tagged with the loss. Listul and Tyler Falttum had two hits apiece for the Kilowatts.

Willmar 5, Granite Falls 4

Will (2-2, 2-2) 001 300 001 -- 5 10 4

GF (0-4, 0-4) 011 010 001 -- 4 9 3

HITTING - Willmar: Josh Dahlke 2-for-4, 2 runs; Ross Van Hauen 1-for-1; Matt Odom 1-for-3; Anthony Stern 1-for-5, rbi; Matt Carlson 1-for-5, rbi; Ryan Scheffler 1-for-4; John Sawatzky 3-for-4, rbi ... Granite Falls: Cody Fruin 1-for-3; Tyler Kanten 1-for-3; Craig Listul 1-for-4, solo HR, rbi; Tyler Flattum 2-for-4; Jake Suter 1-for-3; Andrew Walters 1-for-4, rbi; Chad Listul 2-for-4, solo HR, rbi

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Willmar: Jason Scheffler (W) 8-8-4-3-1-4; David Anderson (S) 1-1-0-0-0-1 ... Granite Falls: Tyler Kanten (L) 9-10-5-4-2-8