MINNEAPOLIS -- The Rochester Century Stars knocked Willmar into the loser's bracket 4-1 in nine innings Thursday at the State VFW Baseball Tournament.
Catcher Erik Ordahl's three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning ended a 1-1 deadlock and Post 1639's unbeaten season after 22 straight victories.
Willmar had to rebound against Minneapolis Southwest 11-3 late in the evening at Parade Stadium, where the game was moved due to no lights at Patrick Henry High School.
Roch. Century 4, Willmar 1
Batting .400 as a team coming into the four-day, 10-team tournament, Willmar managed just three hits off Stars' pitcher Kyle Sursely, who went the distance.
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But for eight innings, Willmar's David Anderson threw just as well. He limited Century (32-11) to three hits and one run until being removed after walking the leadoff batter in the bottom of the ninth.
George Jacobson III came in from center field to relieve. After getting an out, Chris Olofson singled and Ordahl followed with a shot over the left-field fence to end the game.
The loss overshadowed not only Anderson's fine pitching performance, but the stellar play of Ben Ruter at third base. Diving to his right and left and handling hard shots, he had 10 assists without a miscue. Twice he ignited double plays.
"I don't think he's ever made that many plays in a game," said Jordan J. Smith, who started for the MACCRAY varsity along with Ruter. "He was starting double plays from his knees."
Willmar scored in the third inning on a lead-off double by Travis Hanson, a sacrifice bunt by Alex Malmgren and a ground out by Mike Dunham that allowed Hanson to score. Ruter singles in both the fourth and seventh were Willmar's only other hits.
Willmar had a chance to go up 2-1 in the seventh. Ruter was on third with one out, but got caught too far down the line on a fine play by the Stars infield as Willmar showed squeeze.
Willmar (22-1)...........001 000 000 - 1 3 0
Roch. Cent. (32-11)..000 001 003 - 4 5 2
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HITTING - Willmar: Mike Dunham 0-for-4, rbi; Jordan J. Smith 0-for-3; George Jacobson 0-for-4; Jordan R. Smith 0-for-3; Ben Ruter 2-for-3; Logan Birkland 0-for-2; Travis Hanson 1-for-3, 2b; Alec Saunders 0-for-2; Alex Malmgren 0-for-3 ... Rochester Century: Blaine Evans 1-for-1, 3b; Jared Samujelsle 1-for-3, rbi; Blake Yennie 0-for-4; Nate Evens 1-for-3; Chris Olofson 1-for-3, run; Erik Ordahl 1-for-3, 3-run HR, run; Mitch Arens 0-for-3; Nick Franko 0-for-3; Adam Brach 0-for-3
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Willmar: David Anderson 8-3-1-1-5-4; George Jacobson (L) Zc-2-3-3-0-0 ... Rochester Century: Kyle Sursely (W) 9-3-1-1-4-6
Willmar 11, Minneapils Southwest 4
No box score was available at press time.
