Mertz throws a no-hitter against MVL

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- New Ulm Cathedral's Jacob Mertz struck out 10 and did not allow a hit as the Greyhound offense took advantage of walks and errors to cruise to a 5-0 over Minnesota Valley Lutheran Monday afternoon in Tomahawk Conference baseball.

The lefthander permitted only five Chargers to reach base -- four via walks and one hit batter -- as he recorded the no-no.

MVL"s Bryant Polzin took the loss for the Chargers (4-8,4-10) lasting only two-thirds of an inning. He was charged with two runs on only one hit. But four walks -- all consecutive -- got him into trouble. Dusty Lendt was touched for the final three runs -- all unearned -- as he went the final 6 1/3 innings.

Corey Schnobrich was the only player to have more than one hit, collecting a double and a single from his leadoff spot for the Hounds.

Both teams return to action today in doubleheader action. The Hounds travel to Brownton to meet McLeod West while the Chargers entertain Springfield at 4:30 at Johnson Park.

"Jacob has become a very reliable pitcher for us," said Cathedral coach Bob Weier who saw his team improve to 11-3 in the Tomahawk Conference and13-3 overall. "He picked up where he left off last week (a four hit, seven strikeout performance in a 5-3 win over Springfield). I don't think that he has had a bad outing for us this year. Today, he just resumed where he left off last week."

"I felt that I lost a little zip on my fastball as the game went along," Mertz said. "I didn't throw to many curveballs so I just stayed with my curveball."

Weier also complimented catcher Kyle Helget for his job working with Mertz. "He called a good game; he is a heady ballplayer. He is a nice kid to have back there and Jacob seems to like to throw to him."

The Cathedral mentor also praised the defense played by the Greyhounds.

"We made some big plays on defense," he said. "Adam Prochniak, a converted catcher, made two nice plays in rightfield and (secondbaseman) Corey Schnobrich made a nice leaping grab of a potential hit off of Aaron Madson's bat, and Dusty Wilfahrt made a nice play of a ball going up the middle and those are things that win games."

MVL coach Jeff Schoenherr was not as pleased as Weier with his team's play.

"We looked like a JV team out there," he said. "You would think that by now, we would play better defense. They had a few hits (six) but the errors hurt us (in the third inning). It is not physical errors, it is just mental mistakes."

Polzin, who shutout Sleepy Eye St. Mary's 1-0 in his last outing, fanning eight and walking only one, was not sharp from the get-go.

A fielder's choice put Dusty Wilfahrt on first. After Mitch Palmer popped out, the strike zone for Polzin became hard to find as he walked Kyle Helget, Adam Prochniak,John Knisley and his pitching counterpart, Jacob Mertz, to force in two runs for a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

Cathedral then took advantage of some costly Charger errors to plate three runs in the third inning.

Palmer lined a single to right off reliever Dusty Lendt and scampered to third on Kyle Helget's single to right.

Adam Prochniak followed with a groundball to thirdbaseman Mark Thiesfeldt who fielded the ball cleanly. Palmer broke for home on the play and Thiesfeldt double-clutched before trying to nail Palmer at home. But his throw bounced 10 feet in front of the plate and by catcher Tyler Morgan who injured his right knee on the play and later left the game. His status for today's game is in doubL

Lendt walked John Knisley to load the bases before coaxing Adam Neubauer to bounce a comebacker to him on the mound. But his throw home sailed over Morgan's head as the fourth run of the game scored for the Hounds.

Prochniak later scored on a fielder's choice for a 5-0 lead.

'Timely hitting, good pitching and solid defense wins games for you," commented Weier whose team can clinch the Tomahawk Conference crown by winning both games at McLeod West today.

MVL 000-000-0=0-0-2

NUC 203-000-X=5-6-0

MVL: Bryant Polzin, Dusty Lendt (1) and Tyler Morgan, Mark Rolloff (4). NEW ULM CATHEDRAL: Jacob Mertz and Kyle Helget. 2B: Prochniak (NUC).