NEW ULM — The Granite Falls Kilowatts are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2007.
Granite Falls beat Stark 6-3 on Friday night at Mueller Field. The Kilowatts earn one of four berths from Region 2C into the state amateur baseball tournament, which begins next Friday in Jordan, Chaska, New Prague and Shakopee.
Stark was attempting to return to state for the first time since 2023.
Leading the way for Granite Falls was Bennett Knapper. The right-hander went the distance, striking out 12 and walking two. He allowed 10 hits and two earned runs.
He also homered, as did Brody Dack, who knocked in two runs for Granite Falls.
Hunter Wilke went 3-for-4 with a triple, a run and two RBIs and Nikson Knapper and Bryce Snepper each had two hits for the Killowatts.
Brandon Helget was 3-for-4 with a double and a run for Stark.
Granite Falls plays for the third seed at 3 p.m. Saturday in Sleepy Eye. The Kilowatts play the winner of Springfield and Leavenworth, who were playing Friday at Johnson Park in New Ulm.
Hanska and Courtland are in the championship bracket and play at 6 p.m. Saturday in Sleepy Eye. The winner gets the top seed. The loser is the second seed.
Granite Falls 200 011 02x-6 12 1
Hitting – Stark: Nick Labat 1-4 bb sb, Zach Haala 2-5 r sb, Adam Sellner 0-3 bb, David Surprenant 1-4 r, Brandon Helget 3-4 r 2b, Kayden Klein 2-4 rbi, Dylan Klein 1-4 rbi … Granite Falls: Nikson Knapper 2-4 r rbi sb, Jordan Odegard 1-5, Brody Dack 1-4 r rbi-2 hr, Bennett Knapper 1-3 r rbi bb hr, Colton Vien 1-4, Phil Johnson 1-4 r, Bryce Sneller 2-4 r 2b, Hunter Wilke 3-4 r rbi-2 3b
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) – Stark: Jon Kopacek (L) 4-6-2-2-0-4, Sellner 4-6-4-4-1-1 … Granite Falls: B. Knapper (W) 9-10-3-2-2-12
Tom Elliott has been the sports editor at the West Central Tribune since September 2019.
Contact him at telliott@wctrib.com or leave a message at 320-235-1150.