WILLMAR — The Mankato MoonDogs completed a sweep of their two-game series with the Willmar Stingers with a 5-3 victory Sunday.

Mankato took a 4-0 lead through three innings for the victory before 912 fans at Bill Taunton Stadium.

Adrian Torres, a left fielder from Grand Canyon University in Arizona, smacked his sixth home run of the year for Mankato (16-12 second half, 40-21 overall), which is in second place in the Northwoods League’s Great Plains West Division.

Willmar (13-15 second half, 29-35) is in fourth place as the Northwoods wraps up its final week of regular-season play.

Against Mankato, the Stingers’ Tate Meiners went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run. It was the first homer of the season for the first baseman from Caledonia and Augustana University.

Brady Hill also had two hits for Willmar, scoring a run and stealing a base. He played left field Sunday. He’s a sophomore at Washington State University.

Willmar hits the road to play two games at Duluth. The Stingers and Huskies play at 6:35 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Wade Stadium Willmar is off Wednesday and Thursday, then is host to the Eau Claire Express at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday to wrap up the season..

Mankato 5, Willmar 3

Mankato 103 100 000-5 10 1

Willmar 000 020 001-3 7 1

Hitting - Mankato: Evan Berkey 1-5, Will Hanafan 2-5 r-2, Luke Beckstein 2-2 r rbi-2 bb sf, Matthew Higgins 0-2 rbi bb-2, Jack Costello 2-4 2b rbi, Max Crabbe 1-4, Adrian Torres 1-4 r hr rbi, Austin Garrett 1-4 r … Willmar: William Hamiter 1-5, Jakob Newton 0-2 rbi bb sf, Tate Meiners 2-4 r 2b hr rbi, Brady Counsell 1-3 r hbp, Brady Hill 2-4 r sb

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Mankato: Simon Gregersen (W, 1-0) 5-5-2-2-2-9, John Lundgren (Sv, 1) 4-2-1-1-0-3 … Willmar: Sam Malec 3-7-4-3-1-4, Dylan Matela 3-1-1-1-1-4, Jeremy Klick 3-2-0-0-1-1

Saturday:
Mankato 8, Willmar 3

Nolan Pender improved his record to 7-2 with six shutout innings, leading the Mankato MoonDogs past the Willmar Stingers before 874 fans at Bill Taunton Stadium.

Pender, a right-hander from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, struck out five, walked one and allowed two hits. He has struck out 46 and walked 18 in 49⅔ innings with a 2.72 earned-run average for Mankato.

Jakob Newman led Willmar by going 2-for-4 with a run and a walk.

Mankato 000 140 201-8 12 2

Willmar 000 000 030-3 5 1

Hitting - Mankato: Luke Beckstein 2-4 4 2b bb-2 sb, Evan Berkey 0-5 r hbp, Matthew Higgins 2-4 r-2 2b-2 bb, Jack Costello 2-4 r-2 2b rbi-3 hbp, Alex Baeza 2-5 r-2 hr rbi, Will Hanafan 2-4 2b rbi hbp, Austin Garrett 1-2 bb-2 hbp, Carson Yates 1-5 rbi … Willmar: Christopher Campos 1-5 r, Jakob Newton 2-4 r bb, William Hamiter 0-3 bb-2, Drey Dirksen 0-4 bb, Asa Awbrey 0-3 rbi bb, Tate Meiners 1-3 rbi bb, Brady Hill 0-3 hbp, Brady Counsell 1-4 r 2b

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Mankato: Nolan Pender (W, 7-2) 6-2-0-0-1-5, Dalton Mesaris 1-1-0-0-0-0, Joey Cammarata ⅔-2-3-3-4-1, Vince Reilly 1 1/3-0-0-0-1-1 … Willmar: Kellen Brothers (L, 0-4) 4⅔-7-5-5-1-3, Jon Mocherman 1 1/3-0-0-0-1-1, Clayton Chipchase 1-3-2-2-1-1, Will Roguske 1-2-1-0-1-2, John Klein 1-0-0-0-1-2