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April 28, 2000
Chargers pull awayBy JIM BASTIAN Journal Sports Writer NEW ULM -- The Minnesota Valley Lutheran baseball team used its largest one-inning outburst this season -- eight runs in the bottom of the third inning -- and coasted to a 9-4 win over Buffalo Lake-Hector Thursday afternoon in Tomahawk Conference play. John Enter was the winning pitcher for the Chargers, now 2-4 on the season. Coincidently, both of MVL's wins this season have come at the hands of BL-H. Jason Bruns was tagged with the loss for the Mustangs, who drop to 3-2 in the Tomahawk Conference. Chris Mielke and Luke Asleson each banged out two hits for the Chargers, who outhit the Mustangs 8-6. MVL was issued eight walks in the game by BL-H, five of which resulted in runs in the third inning. Bruns cracked a double and a home run, with Andy Wegschied adding a triple for BL-H. "We executed better today than we have in some games," said Charger head coach Craig Morgan. "The two losses Tuesday to Sleepy Eye (2-1) and (Sleepy Eye) St. Mary's (7-5) really hurt. But we learned from them and went back to work, re-focused and I liked the effort that the kids gave us." BL-H would tally two runs in the first inning off Enter when Bruns whacked a one-out double to right field and scored when Wegscheid followed with a triple to right. Barry Folkens recorded the third straight hit of the inning when he legged out an RBI infield single. MVL cut the lead in half with a single run in the second, scoring after two were out. Aaron Madson and Peter Costello singled, moving Madson to third, where he scored on a passed ball. MVL would take out some frustration, perhaps because of the two close losses on Tuesday, in the third inning, sending 13 men to the plate and pushing eight runs across. "It was nice to score those runs," said Morgan. "But it would have been nice to score some runs after that inning." The long inning began with singles by Mielke and Danny Liggett. A walk loaded the bases before Asleson's one-out bunt single tied the game. Walks to Madson and Costello gave MVL a 4-2 lead and brought in reliever Jon Berg. Another free pass resulted in a run and an error on Mielke ground ball scored two more runs for a 7-2 lead. Enter's RBI single off third base and an error made the score 9-2. "I think that we were a Jekyll and Hyde team, but I am looking for this team to work together and bring it together," Morgan said. "Tom Metzger came back with some (three) strong innings, and John Enter threw well. He got out of two two-on, no-out jams with no runs. I think that with the other guys we have, we will do fine." BL-H tacked on its final two runs ot the game in the seventh. Berg singled and scored on Bruns' drive over the fence in right field. BLH 200 000 2 -- 4 6 2 MVL 018 000 x -- 9 8 1 WP--Enter, LP--Bruns. 2B--Bruns (BLH), 3B--Wegscheid (BLH), HR--Bruns (BLH).
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