Eagles use five pitchers in win over St. James

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm High Eagles scored 13 runs in their win Monday over the St. James Saints. With the win, the Eagles remain unbeaten on the season.

Those are two things for the Eagles to be happy about. But still, it was a disturbing win.

New Ulm High used five pitchers in its 13-7 South Central Conference win at Mueller Park. None of them were particularly impressive, and worse New Ulm High's relievers got tagged for six runs.

"It was one of those days when we wanted to get some people in the ballgame," New Ulm High coach Jim Senske said. "We just ended up being involved in a game where we didn't quite get the job done when we needed to to close them out."

Ty Anderson got the start for the Eagles and went the first three innings. He gave up one run on two hits, striking out two and walking two.

The Saints (3-9, 2-4 SCC) had baserunners in each of the first three innings. The only St. James run that scored was unearned.

Enter Chris Cariveau (3-0). He pitched one inning to get the win, giving up one hit and walking one.

After that, it got ugly. The Eagles' next three pitchers combined to give up six runs on four hits, issuing six walks.

Anderson finally re-entered to start the top of the seventh and fairly uneventfully got the final three outs for New Ulm High (11-0, 9-0).

"We stopped the bleeding, finally," Senske said. "It's OK, sometimes those things happen. It was not an encouraging day."

It wasn't when you look at the Eagles' pitching. It was, however, a very good day offensively for New Ulm High, and in particular for the top of the Eagles' batting order.

Lead-off hitter Jamie Hoffmann was 3-for-3 with a pair of triples. The senior shortstop scored three runs and drove in another.

Junior Keith McClellan went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored from his No. 2 spot. McClellan figured into the Eagles' seven-run bottom of the second inning.

Brandon Rolloff went 2-for-3 from his No. 3 spot. The senior also drove in three runs and scored twice and also played a big role in the Eagles' seven-run second.

Clean-up hitter Jace Martin was 2-for-3 and scored a run.

"Offensively, we hit the ball," Senske said. "We should hit the kid that they threw. We hit him pretty hard."

Hoffmann scored the Eagles' first run, tripling off Saints right-hander Matt Ness (0-3) to start the game, and scoring on McClellan's RBI groundout.

The Eagles upped their lead to 8-0 in the second inning. Isaac Forstner drove in the first run with a single to left, and McClellan and Rolloff each hit two-RBI singles.

New Ulm High scored four more runs in the third inning. Forstner reached on a one-out error and scored on Hoffmann's triple to the gap in right. McClellan and Rolloff hit back-to-back RBI singles and Blake Thorson gave the Eagles a 12-1 lead with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Rolloff.

After Senske pulled several starters, the Eagles scored their final run in the fourth inning.

"There's a difference, we fall off," Senske said. "We've got a starting nine that's been strong. Then we fall off a little bit offensively when we start subbing."

That, Senske said, may have set the tone for the Saints' later-inning production and the Eagles' lack of it.

"I helped contribute to that," Senske said. "I don't want to waste a lot of time with one I had something to do with the outcome with my substitution patterns.

"I don't think (this game) is anything to be alarmed about."

New Ulm High will play at Blue Earth Area at 5 p.m. today.

In the junior varsity game, New Ulm won 13-0. Zack Barrett got the win. Josh Thorson went 2-for-3 with a home run. Brett Burgau was 3-for-3 with three RBI.

ST. JAMES 001 033 0-- 7 7 4

NEW ULM HIGH 174 100 x--13 13 2

Ness, Martinez (4) and Walker, Ewert (4). Anderson, Cariveau (4), Walden (5), Farasyn (5), Fleck (6), Anderson (7) and Janni. W--Cariveau 3-0. L--Ness 0-3. 2B--None. 3B--New Ulm High, Hoffmann 2. HR--None. T--2:16.