Northwest Minnesota baseball: Whitecaps just one weekend away from title

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Winning two of three Sunday kept the Carlos Whitecaps cruising toward a Northwest Minnesota League title, a crown that will be determined next weekend when Carlos faces Urbank and Perham.

Along with the title, those three games will also decide the overall seedings for the state tournament.

The Whitecaps will travel to Urbank on Friday for a 7 p.m. game, then finish the regular season on Sunday in Carlos with a doubleheader against Perham. Game times are 2 and 4 p.m.

FORT RIPLEY 4, CARLOS 2

The Silver Rebels jumped to an early 4-0 lead before allowing the Whitecaps on the board as Fort Ripley picked up a 4-2 lead on Sunday.

Mark Illies took the loss as he allowed seven hits in the game as the Silver Rebels scored once in the first, twice in the second inning and once in the fourth.

No Whitecap had more than one hit in that game with Illies, Greg Endres, John Toop and Julio Hall slapping singles.

Greg Nathe and Hall scored Carlos’ only two runs, with Toop and Rob Illies picking up RBIs.

CARLOS 10,

FORT RIPLEY 7

Eleven hits evolved into 10 runs as Carlos scored early and held on for a 10-7 win.

The Whitecaps brought in four runs in the first, three in the second and two in the third to jump to a 9-5 lead, then allowed the Silver Rebels to score twice in the sixth.

Carlos added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, then Robb Nigg allowed just one walk as he picked up the save.

Vinny Palyan claimed the win, pitching six innings and allowing seven runs, five earned on nine hits.

Toop had the big bat for Carlos, going three for three at the plate with two runs scored and four driven in.

Brad Anderson had two hits and two walks in the game, scoring three times, while Greg Nathe drove in three runs in the game.

GAME STATISTICS

FORT RIPLEY 120 100 0 4-7-0

CARLOS 000 110 0 2-4-0

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Mark Illies (L) 7-7-4-4-3-7.

HITTING – Mark Illies 1-1, 2 bb; Greg Nathe 1 bb, 1 run; Greg Endres 1-3; John Toop 1-2, 1 rbi, 1 bb; Vinny Palyan 1 bb; Julio Hall 1-3, 1 run; Tom Illies 1 bb; Kevin Howell 1 bb; Rob Illies 1 rbi.

FORT RIPLEY 410 002 0 7-9-0

CARLOS 432 001 X 10-11-0

PITCHING – Vinny Palyan (W) 6-9-7-5-5-2; Robb Nigg 1-0-0-0-1-1.

HITTING – Brad Anderson 2-2, 3 runs, 2 bb; Mark Illies 1-2, 2 runs, 2 bb; Greg Endres 1-4, 1 run, 1 rbi; John Toop 3-3, 2 runs, 4 rbi, 1 bb; Vinny Palyan 1-3, 1 rbi, 1 bb; Tom Illies 1 bb; Greg Nathe 1-2, 3 rbi; Gerry Hoelscher 1-4, 1 rbi; Ryan Burgau 1-4; Robb Illies, 2 runs, 2 bb.

URBANK 100 000 0 1-4-0

CARLOS 000 003 X 3-3-0

PITCHING – Gerry Hoelscher (W) 7-4-1-0-3-6.

HITTING – Brad Anderson 1 rbi, 2 bb; Tom Illies 1-1; Troy Olson 1-2, 1 run; Mark Illies 1 rbi, 1 bb; John Toop 1 run, 1 bb; Julio Hall 1 bb; Gerry Hoelscher 1 run, 1 bb; Mitch Steidl 1-2, 1 rbi.

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