WILLMAR -- Thunder and lightning struck in the sixth inning at Bill Taunton Stadium and it was the Willmar Cardinals who got jolted.
Lightning was spotted on the eastern horizon, forcing a brief halt to clear the field.
Then the thunder was provided by the Brainerd bats, which produced all of its runs in the sixth inning to rally to a 7-5 victory in Central Lakes Conference baseball.
Willmar led 4-0 after five innings. Willmar starter Matt Roisum went the first five innings without giving up a hit, although it took a running over-the-shoulder catch by Kyle Birkland at the left field fence to end the inning, robbing Matt Siegel of an extra-base hit and Brainerd of a run.
The next inning, the Warriors jumped on reliever Jason Scheffler for six runs on five hits, including homers by Zach Heidmann and Nick Schueller.
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Willmar took a 3-0 lead in the first on a triple by Tyler Horning, a double by Matt Seehusen and a Brainerd error. Willmar managed only two runs after that -- a solo homer to left by Horning in the fourth and a sacrifice fly from Tom Prunty in the seventh.
Brainerd starter Jake Johnson got the win. Willmar put two runners on in each of the last two innings but two Warrior relievers combined to get five of the six outs by strikeout.
Brainerd 7, Willmar 5
Brainerd (2-2, 2-2) 000 007 0 - 7 7 4
Willmar (1-2, 1-3) 300 010 1 - 5 7 2
HITTING - Brainerd: Zach Heidmann 1-for-4, solo HR; Austin Schmolke 1-for-4, 2b; Chris Smolke 1-for-4, Jason Thompson 2-for-4, 2b, rbi; Jake Johnson 1-for-3, rbi; Nick Schueller 1-for-2, 3-run HR; Matt Siegel 1-for-3, 2b, rbi ,,. Willmar: Tyler Horning 2-for-4, 3b, solo HR, 2 runs, 2 rbi; Matt Seehusen 2-for-3, 2b, rbi; Thomas Seedorf 2-for-4, Kyle Birkland 1-for-2
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Brainerd: Jake Johnson (W) 5-6-4-3-2-2, Zach Heidmann 1-0-1-1-4-2, Chris Smolke 1-1-0-0-0-2 .... Willmar: Matt Roisum 5-0-0-0-1-2, Jason Scheffler (L) 1/3-5-6-6-1-0, Alex Lotthammer 2/3-1-1-1-1-1, Jeremy Elkjer 1-1-0-0-0-0
NEXT -- Willmar: Thursday at St. Cloud Apollo (Dick Putz Field), 7 p.m.
