LITTLE FALLS - The Willmar Cardinals used 10 hits and eight Little Falls errors to ground the Flyers 12-5 on Friday in Central Lakes Conference baseball.
Kyle Birkland rammed a two-run double to left in the Cardinals' five-run third for an 8-0 lead. Kyle Townswick doubled and hit a solo home run off Ben Hanowski, the third Flyers' hurler, in the seventh.
It was the second win in two days for Willmar, which is now 3-2 in the Central Lakes Conference and .500 overall (3-3). The Cardinals leapfrogged idle Alexandria and St. Cloud Apollo into a tie for third place with St. Cloud Tech.
"We started covering the order with hits, not just bunching them in the middle (of the lineup)," said Willmar coach Brad Dean. "Our fielding was steady (no errors) and three guys threw their game."
Jason Brower went 32/3 innings allowing four runs. He was relieved by Jason Scheffler who went 11/3 innings for the win. Jeremy Elkjer finished up.
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Jake Kluver doubled and homered and Justin Piotrowski singled four times in four trips.
George Jacobson had a pair of hits batting in the Willmar leadoff spot.
The Cardinals are at the four-team Marshall tournament today at Legion Field. Willmar opens against West Fargo at noon, while Marshall and Lac qui Parle Valley play at 10 a.m. The losers play for third at 2 p.m. and the winners meet in the final at 4 p.m.
Willmar 12, Little Falls 5
Willmar (3-2, 3-3) 315 200 1 - 12 10 0
Little Falls (1-4, 2-6) 002 200 1 - 5 9 8
HITTING - Willmar: George Jacobson 2-for-4, rbi; Kyle Townswick 2-for-5, 2b, solo HR, 2 rbi; Matt Roisum 1-for-3, 2 runs, rbi; Matt Seehusen 1-for-3, 2 runs; Ross Van Hauen 1-for-3, Tom Prunty 1-for-4, rbi; Kyle Birkland 2-for-3, 2b, 2 rbi .... Little Falls: Jake Kluver 2-for-4, 2 rbi, 2 runs, 2b, 2-run HR; Justin Piotrowski 4-for-4, rbi; Beu Hanowski 1-for-4, Matt Ortromoa
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Willmar: Jason Brower 32/3-5-4-4-3-0, Jason Scheffler (W) 11/3-2-0-0-0-0, Jeremy Elkjer 2-2-1-1-0-1 .... Little Falls: Kyle Petersheck (L) 4-9-11-1-0-5, Will Delaney 2-0-0-0-1-0, Ben Hanowski 1-1-1-1-0-0
