Wilfahrt tosses no-hitter in NUC win

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- It was a no-hitter. It wasn't a pretty no-hitter; it wasn't a masterful no-hitter.

But it was a no-hitter, and for that you have to give New Ulm Cathedral's Dusty Wilfahrt a lot of credit.

Wilfahrt's first career no-hitter had its shaky moments. But it gave the Greyhounds a 2-0 win over the Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers Tuesday in Tomahawk Conference baseball.

"I don't know, it was working today," Wilfahrt said. "I was throwing strikes. I had a good defense behind me today and a lot of ground balls. It feels good."

While a lot of credit goes to Wilfahrt, a lot also has to go to his defense. They made all the routine plays and secured the no-no with a game-ending double play.

"First of all, congratulations on a very fine performance by Dusty Wilfahrt on the no-hitter," Cathedral coach Bob Weier said. "He had an excellent defense behind him. But the key here is you want them to hit the ball, basically. It keeps your pitch count down, keeps your defense in the ballgame. They were routine plays and we were able to make them."

Wilfahrt (3-0) allowed only one ball to leave the infield -- a fly-ball out in the third inning. Cathedral (6-1, 4-1 Tomahawk) committed only one error.

"I wish I had an answer," MVL coach Jeff Schoenherr said. "(Wilfahrt) was throwing a decent curve ball and we haven't been able to hit a decent curve ball yet this year. He pitched a good game, he had good location, mixed up speeds real nice against us."

But MVL (1-4, 1-3) did have chances to score runs. The Chargers had six baserunners in the game.

Wilfahrt, who struck out five, also walked five Chargers. But only one MVL baserunner got as far as third base.

"Some of those walks, I just missed by inches," Wilfahrt said. "But other than that, it was a pretty good game."

Wilfahrt's no-hitter overshadowed a pretty good performance on the mound by the Chargers' Aaron Madson (0-2). Madson also threw a complete game, scattering eight hits; he struck out four and walked two.

Like Wilfahrt, Madson also got a lot of help from his defense. The Chargers had three double plays, including two that ended innings.

"Aaron pitched a nice game," Schoenherr said. "We've got to be able to help him with the bats. We can't have a guy go out there, and throwing a game like that, and then not help him by putting some runs up there on the board."

The only inning that Madson didn't get out of unscathed was the top of the second. The Greyhounds used two hits, a walk and a fielder's choice to score their only two runs.

John Knisley, who went 2-for-3 for the only multiple-hit performance in the game, figured prominently.

Knisley doubled after Adam Prochniak singled to lead off the inning. The next batter, Adam Neubauer, fanned but reached on a passed ball that also allowed Prochniak to score.

After Brandon Goblirsch walked on five pitches, Dusty Hillesheim's fielder's choice scored Knisley for a 2-0 Cathedral lead.

The Greyhounds also had good chances to score in the fourth and fifth innings. Cathedral had two hits in each of the innings.

In the fourth, Knisley and Neubauer hit back-to-back one-out singles. But Madson got Goblirsch to hit into a 4-6-3 double play that also claimed Neubauer to end the inning.

In the fifth, Hillesheim and Wilfahrt led off the inning with consecutive singles. Mitch Palmer grounded to second, reaching on a fielder's choice that forced Wilfahrt.

Kyle Helget took first base after getting hit by a pitch and the Greyhounds had the bases loaded with one out. But Jacob Mertz hit a come-backer to Madson that turned into an inning-ending double play that halted the Cathedral threat.

"I thought we hit the ball pretty well," Weier said. "We hit the ball hard. We collected eight hits, and I think probably with eight hits you should have more than two runs. But (Madson) did a nice job of getting out of jams. His defense helped him out and that made for a real nice high school baseball game."

Cathedral will host Buffalo Lake-Hector at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. MVL will play in a round-robin tournament Saturday with West Lutheran and St. Croix Lutheran in West St. Paul.

In the junior varsity game, Cathedral defeated MVL 10-6. Cody Fox got the win, allowing three runs on four hits.

David Rysdahl went 1-for-1 with an RBI to lead the Greyhounds. Teammate Andy Klingler was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a double.

CATHEDRAL 020 000 0--2 8 1

MVL 000 000 0--0 0 0

Wilfahrt and Prochniak. Madson and Morgan. W--Wilfahrt, 3-0. L--Madson, 0-2. 2B--Cathedral, Palmer, J.Knisley. 3B--None. HR--None. T--1:31.