BRAINERD -- Brainerd won the Central Lakes Conference baseball title after sweeping Willmar 4-1 and 5-4 Friday.
The teams locked up in a pitcher's duel in Game One between Willmar's Jordan Smith and Brainerd's Ethan Branum. Each pitcher gave up three hits, but Willmar's errors accounted for three unearned runs.
The Cardinals (5-8, 7-9) were well in control of Game Two through the first five innings, sporting a 4-1 lead, but the Warriors (12-0, 13-0) rallied for four 2-out runs to take a 5-4 advantage.
In the first game, Willmar scored a run in the top of the first inning on a Brainerd error, scoring Smith from second base, but that was it for the Cardinals.
Smith struck out six and walked two on the mound. The only earned run was a home run to Brainerd's Bronson Shepard in the second inning.
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Alec Saunders and John Sawatzky had the other two hits for Willmar.
Barnum struck out eight without a walk for Brainerd.
In the nightcap, the No. 7 spot in Willmar's lineup went 3-for-3 as Logan Birkland had a single, but had to leave the game after colliding with Saunders in the outfield. Tim Chermak replaced Birkland and went 2-for-2.
The Cardinals gave up four runs with two outs in the sixth inning.
Josh Oestreich went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Willmar.
David Anderson ab-sorbed the loss for the Cardinals.
Game One
Brainerd 4, Willmar 1
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Willmar...................100 000 0 -- 1 3 2
Brainerd.................012 010 x -- 4 3 2
HITTING - Willmar: Jordan Smith 1-for-3; Alec Saunders 1-for-2; John Sawatzky 1-for-3 ... Brainerd: Kyle Crocker 1-for-2, 2b, rbi; Bronson Shepard 1-for-3, solo HR, rbi; Trevor Thompson 1-for-2
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Willmar: Jordan Smith (L) 6-3-4-1-2-6 ... Brainerd: Ethan Branum (W) 7-3-1-0-0-8
Game Two
Brainerd 5, Willmar 4
Brainerd.................001 004 0 -- 5 6 0
Willmar...................210 100 0 -- 4 9 1
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HITTING - Brainerd: Tyler Jensen 2-for-4, rbi; Kyle Crocker 1-for-2; Rob Veith 1-for-3, 2b; Desmond Janousek 1-for-2, 3b; Rob Anderson 1-for-1, 2 rbi ... Willmar: Josh Oestreich 3-for-3, 2b, rbi; Matt Odom 1-for-3; Jordan Smith 1-for-4; Alec Saunders 1-for-4, 2b, rbi; Logan Birkland 1-for-1; Tim Chermak 2-for-2
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Brainerd: Dan Bendzick 3Xc-7-4-4-2-5, William Sather 2Xc-2-0-0-0-2, Nick Anderson Xc-0-0-0-0-1 ... Willmar: David Anderson (L) 5Xc-6-5-4-5-2, Scott Skaalerud 1Zc-0-0-0-2-0
