Baseball roundup: Willmar winds up regular season with a shutout

WILLMAR — The Willmar baseball team wrapped up the 2022 regular season with a 6-0 victory over Big Lake on Tuesday at Bill Taunton Stadium.

The Cardinals, 13-5, are aiming for a No. 2 seed in Section 8AAA. They’ll learn Saturday whether that happens or not.

“We’re hoping for a No. 1 seed or a No. 2 seed,” Willmar head coach Tom DeBoer said. “It’s kind of a horse apiece. It’s always good to be No. 1. We’re going to be comfortable wherever we fall. Alex is the No. 2 right now in the QRF and we have the tiebreaker over them.”

Against Big Lake, Cayden Hansen and Sam Etterman combined to throw a one-hitter.

Hansen went the first five innings, allowing one hit and two walks. He struck out four. Etterman went the final two innings, striking out three without allowing a hit or a walk.

“It was good to get Sam on the mound,” Deboer said. “He hadn’t pitched in two weeks. He’s been dealing with a pinched nerve, so it was good to get him out there and see how he looked.

“Cayden looked really good. Sam looked really good.”

Etterman also hit well. He went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base. Sergio Fernandez was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Ian Koosman was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

“We’re ready (for the playoffs),” DeBoer said. “We’re giving the guys a day off, which they deserve. On Thursday and Friday, we work on some stuff in practice that we haven’t been able to.”

DeBoer said the Cardinals have had only one outdoors practice on a baseball diamond, though they have worked out regularly on the turf outside of the high school.

“It seems like we’re either playing or it’s raining,” DeBoer said. “Fortunately for us, it hasn’t been raining on the days we’ve been playing lately.”

Big Lake    000   000   0-0   1   2
Willmar      401   001   x-6   13   0
Hitting - Big Lake: Keenan Hjermstad 1-3 … Willmar: Brandt Sunder 1-3 r, Alex Schramm 1-3 r-2 bb, Ian Koosman 2-4 rbi sb, Sam Etterman 3-4 2b r-2 rbi-2 sb, Cayden Hansen 1-4, Mason Madsen 1-2 r, Jason Malmgren 1-2, Carter Schow 1-2 rbi, Sergio Fernandez 2-3 rbi
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Big Lake: Collin Skaug (L) 6-13-6-3-1-4 … Willmar: Hansen (W) 5-1-0-0-2-4, Etterman 2-0-0-0-0-3

Redwood Valley scored seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to beat Yellow Medicine East at Granite Falls.

Redwood Valley    000   170   0-8   8   1
YME                        020   000   1-3   3   1
Hitting - Redwood Valley: Jagger Bill 1-3 r rbi bb, Zack Reck 1-4 r rbi, Alex Lang 1-2 r-2 rbi-2 bb, Carson Woodford 1-4 r, Riley Dikken 1-3 r rbi bb, Austin Gunderson 1-3 rbi, Ethan Louwagie 1-1, Brandon Lang 1-3 r rbi-2 bb  … YME: Nikson Knapper 1-1 bb, Bryce Sneller 1-4, Nolan Hildahl 1-1 r bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Redwood Valley: Carson Woodford 2-0-2-2-3-0, Bill Jagger 2-2-0-0-1-1, Ethan Louwagie (W) 2-1-0-0-0-2, Tyson Irlbeck 1-0-1-0-1-1 … YME: Sneller 4-1-1-1-3-5, Jake Odegard (L) 0-5-6-6-1-0, Connor Fagen 3-2-1-1-1-4

Carter Brown and Josh Mueller combined on a three-hitter to lead Ortonville past MACCRAY at Ortonville.

Brown struck out five, walked three and allowed three hits and one earned run over 5-1/3 innings. Mueller walked three and allowed no hits over 1-⅔ innings.

MACCRAY    100   000   0-1   3   2
Ortonville      110   002   x-4   6   0
Hitting - MACCRAY: Dreyer Homan 1-3 r rbi bb, Brooks Asche 1-2 bb, Gavin Husman 1-3 … Ortonville: Carter Brown 2-3 r rbi, Hunter Merritt 1-3 rbi, Carter Powell 1-4 rbi, Dru Boots 2-3 r
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - MACCRAY: Joe Heidecker 2-3-2-2-4-0, Jase Dirksen 3-0-0-0-1-1, Xavier Noble 1-3-2-1-0-1 … Ortonville: Carter Brown (W) 5.1-3-1-1-3-5, Josh Mueller 1.2-0-0-0-3-0

Hunter Danielson went 3-for-4 with three runs to lead Sauk Centre to the victory at Benson

Grant Gunlogson, Alexander Claussen and Max Nygaard had hits for Benson.

Sauk Centre    102   044-11  12   0
Benson            000   001-1   3   5
Hitting - Sauk Centre: Hunter Danielson 3-4 r-3, Matthew Warring 2-4, r-2 rbi, Elijah Fletcher 2-2 r-2, rbi-3 bb, Payton Crider 1-4, Ben Millard 2-3 r rbi-2, Ethan Nathe 1-3 r bb, Keegan Middendorf 1-3 … Benson: Grant Gunlogson 1-3 rbi, Alexander Claussen 1-3, Max Nygaard 1-1 bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Sauk Centre: Hunter Danielson 6-3-1-1-5-6 … Benson: Dylan Ascheman 5.1-10-9-3-4-3, Grant Gunlogson 0.2-2-2-2-1-0

Sauk Centre scored five runs in the second to wipe out an early 2-0 lead by Benson for the victory at Benson.

Dylan Ascheman and Reece Larson each had two hits for the Braves.

Benson              200   400   0-6   6   0
Sauk Centre      052   400   x-11   10   5
Hitting - Benson: Isaac Minchow 1-4 r rbi, Dylan Ascheman 2-4 r, Reece Larson 2-4 r rbi, Alexander Claussen 1-3 … Sauk Centre: Hunter Danielson 2-3 r rbi-2 bb, Logan Meyer 1-2 r rbi-3 bb-2, Elijah Fletcher 1-3 r bb, Payton Crider 1-4 r, Ben Millard 2-4 r-2, Ethan Nathe 1-4 r-2, Keegan Middendorf 1-1 r, Hunter Broich 1-3 rbi
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Benson: Anthony Klassen (L) 4-9-11-6-6-5, Jack Storlien 2-1-0-0-0-1 … Sauk Centre: Crider 2-1-2-0-1-3, Fletcher (W) 1-0-2-2-5-3, Zachary Bick 3-5-2-1-2-1

Down 4-3 going into the final inning, West Central Area put up a pair of runs in the top of the seventh for the come-from-behind West Central Conference win against Montevideo at Morris.

Gannon Reidinger was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Thunder Hawks. He also threw the first three innings, striking out three. Gage Augeson was hit with the loss.

Dane Anderson paced the Knights, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

WCA                  111   000   2-5   9   2
Montevideo      000   301   0-4   2   5
Hitting - West Central Area: Bryce Kjesbo 1-4 r rbi, Dane Anderson 3-4 r rbi, Colton Lindquist 1-4 rbi, Ashton Danner 1-4 rbi, Jack Courrier 2-3 r, Camden Anderson 1-3 rbi … Montevideo: Gavin Johnson 1-4 r, Gannon Reidinger 1-3 rbi-2
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - West Central Area: Camden Anderson (W) 7-2-4-0-4-6 … Montevideo: Reidinger 3-6-3-2-0-3, Gage Augeson (L) 3.1-3-2-0-1-1, Johnson 0.2-0-0-0-0-0

Morris/Chokio-Alberta scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to a five-inning West Central Conference win against West Central Area in Morris.

Ross Marty, Kaleb Breuer and Brett Hansen each had two hits for the Tigers. Drew Storck got the start and the win after tossing three scoreless innings.

WCA               000   00-0   2  2
Morris/CA      600   13-10   8   0
Hitting - West Central Area: Cole Anderson 1-2 bb, Dane Anderson 1-2 … Morris/CA: Ross Marty 2-4 r rbi, Kaleb Breuer 2-3 r rbi-3, Durgin Decker 1-2 r bb, Brett Hansen 2-3 r rbi-2, Dylan Rose 1-1 r rbi bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - West Central Area: Cole Bruss 4-7-7-6-1-3, C. Anderson 0.2-1-3-1-3-0 … Morris/CA: Drew Storck (W) 3-2-0-0-3-0, Brandon Jergenson 1-0-0-0-0-1, Riley Asmus 1-0-0-0-0-1

In a matchup of last year’s Section 3AA championship, Paynesville got the win over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at Paynesville.

The fourth-ranked (Class AA) Bulldogs also got the win in the first matchup this season, 10-4 on May 10.

Chase Bayer finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run for Paynesville. Trent Wendlandt was 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Grayson Fuchs struck out five over six innings to collect the win.

Connor Barker was 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Falcons. Jaxon Behm also got two hits, going 2-for-3. Jack Peterson took the loss.

ACGC               100   000   0-1   5   1
Paynesville      003   001   x-4   7   0
Hitting - ACGC: Logan Straumann 1-4 r, Jaxon Behm 2-3, Connor Barker 2-2 rbi  … Paynesville: Max Athmann 1-2, Eli Nelson 1-3, Bryce Vanderbeek 1-1 r, Trent Wendlandt 2-2 r rbi, Chase Bayer 2-3 r rbi-2
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - ACGC: Jack Peterson (L) 5.1-7-4-2-3-5, Barker 0.2-0-0-0-0-0 … Paynesville: Grayson Fuchs (W) 6-5-1-1-0-5, Eli Nelson 1-0-0-0-0-1

Already the Camden Conference champion, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg wrapped up its conference schedule at 11-0 record after beating Central Minnesota Christian in five innings at Sunburg.

Alex Call was 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs for the Fighting Saints. Hunter Kallstrom also had a home run, going 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Isaac Rudningen, Wylee Lottman and Jared Cortez each had two hits. Chase Magaard got the win for KMS.

Ethan Bulthuis was 1-for-2 with a run for the Bluejays. Max Muzik drove in a run, finishing 1-for-1.

CMCS    002   02-4   4   5
KMS       205   52-14   10   1
Hitting - CMCS: Ethan Bulthuis 1-2 r bb, Seth Zwart 1-3, Ben Ryks 1-1, Max Muzik 1-1 rbi, Braelin Rime 0-1 r bb, Trenton Bulthuis 0-2 rbi-2, Kadin Dehmlow 0-2 r bb, Spencer Vanderpol 0-1 r … KMS: Isaac Rudningen 2-4 3b r-2 sb-2, Wylee Lottman 2-2 2b-2 r-4 bb-2 sb-2, Jared Cortez 2-4 2b-2 r-2 rbi-2, Alex Call 2-2 hr r-2 rbi-4, Hunter Kallstrom 1-3 hr r rbi-3, Luke Jeseritz 1-3 rbi, Jaiden Henjum 0-1 r-2 rbi bb sb, Melvin Vikstrom 0-0 r sb, Tanner Wilts 0-2 rbi sb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - CMCS: Dehmlow (L) 3-5-7-5-3-0, Ryks 1-4-5-1-0-2, Muzik 0.2-1-2-2-1-0 … KMS: Chase Magaard (W) 3.2-2-2-0-1-1, Kallstrom 1.1-2-2-2-2-3

Lakeview used big offensive innings in the second and fourth to keep Renville County West at bay for a Camden Conference win at Sacred Heart.

Tucker Fiene was 1-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Lakers. Ayden St. Pierre picked up the win after striking out six over five innings.

Griffin Howard paced the Jaguars’ offense, going 3-for-4 with a run. Camden Wohlman added two hits, a run and an RBI. Tyler Froland was hit with the loss.

Lakeville    040   300   0-7  6   5
RCW           021   102   0-6   6   5
Hitting - Lakeview: Tucker Fiene 1-4 rbi-2, Taiven Isaackson 1-4 r, Jordan Fischer 1-3, Luke Sander 1-4 r, Ayden St. Pierre 1-4 1, Braylon Breyfogle 1-3 r … Renville County West: Griffin Howard 3-5 r, Camden Wohlman 2-4 r rbi, Tyler Amsden 1-2 r rbi
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Lakeview: St. Pierre (W) 5-4-4-0-5-6, Hunter Magnuson (Sv) 2-2-2-2-2-1 … Renville County West: Tyler Froland (L) 5-5-7-0-4-8, Wohlman 2-1-0-0-0-3