WILLMAR -- Alex Malmgren slugged an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Willmar an 8-7 win over Cold Spring in its regular-season finale Friday in American Legion baseball.
Willmar (13-5) started out fast with the help of Alec Saunders' three-run double in the first and Jordan Smith's two-run double in the second. Willmar would take a commanding 7-0 lead after two innings before being held scoreless for five innings.
Willmar pounded out 16 hits and could have produced more runs, but it left the bases loaded in the fifth and stranded two runners when the seventh inning ended.
Cold Spring, which scored twice in the fourth and sixth innings, caught up in the seventh when it scored three runs.
Saunders then singled to lead off the eighth and moved to second base on George Jacobson's sacrifice bunt. Malmgren followed with a double that allowed Saunders to score easily as there was no play at the plate.
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Malmgren also picked up the win in relief after only one of the runs he gave up in the seventh were earned.
Willmar is off until next Saturday when it starts the District 7, Division I tournament with a 4 p.m. game in Marshall. The tournament continues the following day and concludes on next Tuesday.
Willmar 8, Cold Spring 7
Cold Spring 000 202 30 -- 7 8 3
Willmar 340 000 01 -- 8 16 1
HITTING - Cold Spring: Luke Vossen 2-for-3, 2 rbi; Cole Schmitz 1-for-2, rbi; Brian Hansen 1-for-3, 2b ... Willmar: Mike Dunham 2-for-4; Logan Birkland 3-for-5, rbi; Jordan Smith 2-for-3, 2b, 2 rbi; Matt Seehusen 1-for-3, 2b; Alec Saunders 2-for-4, 2b, 3 rbi; Alex Malmgren 2-for-4, 2b, rbi; Justin Hamann 1-for-1; Travis Koenen 1-for-3; Matt Odom 2-for-4
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Cold Spring: Scott Willenbring 6-13-7-5-1-3; Dockendorf (L) 11/3-3-1-1-1-1 ... Willmar: George Jacobson 6-6-4-2-2-3; Alex Malmgren (W) 2-2-3-1-1-2
