The Wilmont Cardinals exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh inning to break open a 3-2 game and beat the Pipestone A's 11-2 -- claiming the Region 13C amateur baseball title Saturday in Pipestone.
Aaron Johnson earned the victory on the mound for the Cardinals, giving up two runs on eight hits -- striking out six and walking two in six innings. Nate Harberts pitched two scoreless innings before yielding to Cole Johnson in the ninth, who picked up the save.
Kent Woelber suffered the loss for the A's, giving up three runs on seven hits -- striking out two and walking one in six innings. Jared Thies relieved Woelber in the top of the seventh and was rocked for six runs on five hits.
Cardinal second baseman Josh Noble cranked two doubles in the contest, posting three RBIs on the night. Josh Noble also reached on an error, had a sacrifice bunt and a walk. Ethan Noble had four RBIs in the contest, going 3-for-4 on the night.
"We were seeing pitches really well tonight," Josh Noble said following the game. "Thies came in and I think they (A's) thought he was their ace, but he was throwing it straight early on and we hit it hard."
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Clinging to a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh inning, the Cardinals (27-4) chased Woelber from the hill as Sam Baumgartner led off with a single to right field. Cole Johnson greeted Thies -- in relief of Woelber -- with an infield single, which moved Baumgartner (who had stolen second base) to third with Josh Noble stepping to the plate.
Josh Noble promptly blasted his second double of the night to the fence in left-center field, scoring both runners for a 5-2 Wilmont advantage. Jessie Schwartzer then reached on an error and the Cardinals again had a pair on the bags.
Still with no one out, Ethan Noble popped a single to right-center field to score Josh Noble and Brett Wiltrout followed with an RBI single of his own to plate Schwartzer for a 7-2 Cardinal lead.
Thies attempted to pick off Wiltrout at first, but his throw sailed past first baseman Dan Morrison -- allowing Ethan Noble to score from third and Wiltrout to gain third. To top off the inning, Thies was wild on his first throw to Harberts, giving Wiltrout the green light to score form third and make it a 9-2 ballgame.
"We had a great game at the plate," Aaron Johnson said. "Thirteen hits is a lot of hits and we're going to need that type of production in the state tournament."
The Cardinals added two runs in the top of the eighth, capitalizing on two walks. Ethan Noble batted both runners in with a single up the middle for an 11-2 lead.
Wilmont jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame, but the A's tied the contest at 1-all with a run in their half of the first on singles by Matt Oye, Matt Paulsen and Morrison.
The Cardinals inched ahead in the top of the third inning, as Cole Johnson was moved around the bases with a sacrifice bunt and fielder's choice before being knocked in on Ethan Noble's single to right field. But the A's again tied the game (2-2), capitalizing on a double to left by Dave Steenstra and a single by Brian Kvamme.
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The Cardinals snatched the lead for good (3-2) in the top of the fifth as Baumgartner, who was hit by a Woelber pitch, stole second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and was plated on Josh Noble's first double of the contest.
The Cardinals will open the state tournament against the runner-up from Region 2C Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Miesville, while the A's will face the winner of Region 2C Saturday at 11 a.m.. Milroy and Essig are the teams fighting it out for top honors in that region.
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Wil. 101 010 620 -- 11 13 1
Pipe. 101 000 000 -- 2 9 2
