WILLMAR -- The Willmar Stingers needed a pick-me-up after suffering an 11-2 loss to Rochester Tuesday.
Wednesday, they got it.
Wally Marciel, Daniel Zapata and Jeff Barto combined to allow four runs on four hits as Willmar pounded the Honkers, 14-4.
The win moved the Stingers into a first-place tie with the St. Cloud River Bats, who lost to the Duluth Huskies 9-7 Wednesday.
Marciel, who won his first game since June 27, pitched 5Xc innings, giving up two runs on two hits. He struck out two and walked two. Zapata threw the next 2Zc innings, allowing no runs and no hits with two strikeouts.
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Jeff Barto pitched the ninth and was responsible for two runs on two hits.
He walked two batters.
The Stingers' offense scored three runs in the second inning on consecutive singles from Mikey Reynolds, Carlos Leyva and Isaac Ballou. It erased Rochester's two-run first inning -- a two-run home run by Jimmy Waters. Richie Jimenez's infield hit before the homer was the Honkers' only other hit in the first eight innings.
Willmar plated single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, then exploded for six runs in the seventh. Jordan Smith tripled in a run, Matt Serna's fielder's choice scored Smith, Reynolds doubled in Serna, and Ballou hit the second triple of the inning, clearing the bases jammed with Stingers.
Three more runs in the eighth padded the Stingers' stats. Andrew Haake drove in a run with a fielder's choice, and Leyva and Ballou each drew bases-loaded walks.
The Stingers clubbed 13 hits. Reynolds went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, improving his batting average to .216. Leyva added three hits and an RBI, Ballou tied his season-high with six RBI and Jordan Smith had two hits and two RBI.
Willmar's three-game homestand ends today with the final game of the season against Rochester.
Willmar 14, Rochester 4
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Rochester Willmar
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Terry 3b 4 0 0 0 Leyva 2b 4 2 3 1
Jimenez ss 4 1 1 0 Ballou cf 4 0 2 6
Dittman 1b 3 1 1 0 Delfino 3b 4 1 1 0
Waters lf 1 1 1 2 Willson 3b 2 0 0 0
Mendnhll lf 2 1 0 0 Smith rf 5 1 2 2
Elder rf 4 0 0 0 Gonzalez dh 5 1 0 0
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Hmbrght dh 4 0 1 2 Serna lf 5 2 1 0
Pellegrino c 3 0 0 0 Bemboom c 1 2 0 0
Stepnvich c 0 0 0 0 Haake 1b 4 3 0 1
Wright 2b 3 0 0 0 Reynolds ss 5 2 4 3
Hutting cf 3 0 0 0
Totals 31 4 4 4 Totals 39 14 13 13
Rochester 200 000 002-- 4
Willmar 030 011 63x--14
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E--Terry (5), Pellegrino (4), Ormseth (1). LOB--Rochester 5, Willmar 10. 2B--Dittman (15), Reynolds (4). 3B--Ballou (5), Smith (7). HR--Waters (4). SB--Ballou (20).
Rochester IP H R ER BB SO
Strong (L,5-2) 2 3 3 3 3 2
Ormseth 4 4 2 1 1 2
Gosse 1 4 6 1 1 0
Roble 1 2 3 0 3 0
Willmar
Marciel (W, 3-0) 5.2 2 2 2 2 2
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Zapata 2.1 0 0 0 0 2
Barto 1 2 2 2 2 0
HBP--Hutting (by Marciel), Leyva (by Gosse). PB--Pellegrino (7), Bemboom (1).
T--2:38. A--1,084.
