ROCORI Sweeps Willmar in CLC Doubleheader

COLD SPRING -- The ROCORI Spartans baseball team swept Willmar in a Central Lakes Conference doubleheader on Tuesday in Cold Spring.

The Spartans defeated the Cardinals 8-2 in Game 1 and finished off the sweep of the doubleheader with a 12-5 victory in Game 2 at the Cold Spring Baseball Park.

In Game 1, ROCORI jumped out to an early lead in the game en route to the 8-2 win in the opening game.

The Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and one more in the second to take a 4-0 lead, before adding four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to run away with the game.

Brock Humbert went 3-for-3 with two RBI, Nolan Notch went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, Brady Klehr went 3-for-4 with a double, one run scored and one RBI and Jack Steil finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead ROCORI offensively.

Collin Eskew went 1-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI, Rudy Notch went 1-for-3 with one run scored and Max Hansen and Andrew Luethmers each tallied one hit in the game.

Brady Klehr pitched five no-hit innings on the mound for the Spartans to start Game 1, giving up no runs and striking out seven. Jack Steil pitched the final two innings in relief, giving up two hits, two runs, one walk and striking out four.

In Game 2, ROCORI's nine-run fifth inning boosted it to a 12-5 win to complete the sweep of the doubleheader.

Brady Klehr had a perfect night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a triple, three runs scored and three RBI to lead the Spartans. Collin Eskew went 4-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI, Max Hansen went 2-for-3, Jack Steil went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI and Nolan Notch, Brock Humbert and Rudy Notch each had a hit, a run scored and one RBI for ROCORI.

Rudy Notch pitched the first five innings on the hill for the Spartans, giving up seven hits, two earned runs, one walk and striking out three. Brady Linn pitched two innings in relief to close out the game, giving up three hits, no earned runs, one walk with two strikeouts.

With the pair of victories, ROCORI improves to 6-4 in Central Lakes Conference action and is now 7-7 overall on the season.

Next up for the Spartans is a nonconference contest against Monticello at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday on the road in Monticello.