WILLMAR - The heat and the wind brought out the best in the Willmar Cardinals baseball team on Tuesday during a 10-2 win over Sauk Rapids.
With the temp tickling 90 and the west wind rushing across Baker Field at say, 25 mph, the Cards compiled 11 hits.
Four players had two hits each: Patrick Courtney, Brett Swanson, Brandon Christiansen and Austin Rambow.
That was more than enough support for junior right-hander Cole Christensen. He went six innings; the Storm got to him only in the fourth when they lashed together four of their 8 hits.
Freshman Isaac Kobenia pitched the seventh giving up one hit, fanning two.
ADVERTISEMENT
Willmar (2-7, 2-9) had only one error in the high winds which made playing right and center field harrowing.
Sauk Rapids (5-6, 6-6) got two hits each from Charlie Oltz, the losing pitcher, and No. 9 hitter Nic Kuechle.
Willmar travels to Rocori on Thursday for two games with the Spartans (8-2, 8-3).
Willmar 10,
Sauk Rapids 2
SR 000 200 0 - 2 8 4
Willmar 213 004 x -10 11 1
HITTING – Sauk Rapids: Charlie Oltz 2-for-4, 2b; Nick Kuechle 2-for-3, rbi; Cole VanHalbeck 1-for-1, rbi … Willmar: Patrick Courtney 2-for-4, rbi, 2 sbs; Brett Swanson 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2b; Tony McCleary 1-for-3, 2 runs; Brandon Christiansen 2-for-4, 2 runs, rbi; Austin Rambow 2-for-3, 3 rbi; Tyler Stegeman 1-for-3, 2 rbi; Austin Smith 1-for-2, rbi; Cole Hagen 0-for-4, run; Josh Warne 0-for-3, run
ADVERTISEMENT
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Sauk Rapids: Cole Oltz (L) 2X\c-7-6-6-1-4, Jordan Schlichting 2X\c-3-2-0-2-2, Justin Thorson X\c-1-0-0-0-2 …. Willmar: Cole Christensen (W) 6-7-2-2-2-3, Isaac Kobenia 1-1-0-0-0-2
