Cathedral pounds Loyola, 11-0

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

MANKATO -- Many times, when a team is struggling offensively, a big defensive play can jump-start the offense.

Tuesday afternoon, a defensive play by New Ulm Cathedral's Dusty Wilfahrt that cut down an apparent Mankato Loyola run at the plate in the bottom of the third inning sparked a big offensive showing.

The Greyhounds, after being hitless in the first three innings, sent 12 men to the plate and scored eight runs as Cathedral hammered Loyola 11-0 in a Section 2-1A game. The game was stopped in the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.

Wilfahrt pitched the win for Cathedral (15-6), striking out five in the win. He gave up four hits and worked out of trouble in the first four innings in pitching the shut out.

Joey Schugel and Brandon Reinarts had two hits with Schugel driving in four runs. Corey Schnobrich drove in two runs.

"I think (Wilfahrt's ability to get out of trouble) was the key," said Cathedral coach Bob Weier. "They had some runners in scoring position, but Dusty was able to throw the right pitch and get the outs. That is the sign of a good pitcher. He buckled down when he had to and our defense came through when it was needed."

Loyola (11-8) threatened in the first inning when Wilfahrt walked Tony Rotchadl. Rotchadl worked his way to third on two ground outs, but Wilfahrt retired clean-up hitter Ben Schwamberger to end the threat.

The Crusaders' Mark Woodward doubled with one out in the second, but the junior right-hander stranded him there by getting two infield ground outs.

And in the third, Loyola mounted their only serious scoring threat. Andy Schmitz walked and stole second. Rotchadl's single moved him to third with no outs.

Wilfahrt fanned John Vangsness for the first out and got Jamie Mulvhill to pop out to shortstop Schugel for the second out. Loyola coach John Landkammer then called for the delayed double steal and Schmitz got into a run-down between third and home. It apparently worked as Schmitz was ruled by the home plate umpire to have avoided Wilfahrt's tag.

But Weier saw differently.

"I saw the tag made," Weier said. "I asked the (home plate) umpire if he saw the tag made and he said no. He suggested that we asked the base umpire."

The base umpire ruled the tag was made to end the inning.

"That was a big lift for us," said Weier. Mulvhill, who was the losing pitcher for Loyola, had not allowed a hit through three innings and permitted only one base runner.

But Cathedral got to the right-hander for eight runs in an inning where Wilfahrt, who made the big defensive play in the top of the inning, made two of the Hounds' three-outs.

Reinarts and Hans Biebl singled before Mulvhill moved the runners up with a wild pitch. Joey Penkert walked to load the bases before Mulvhill plunked Mitch Palmer to force in the first run.

A walk to Kyle Helget made it 2-0 and Schnobrich's line single over shortstop plated two more runs. Jacob Mertz drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases for Schugel, who doubled home two more runs for a 6-0 lead as eight straight Cathedral hitters reached base. Wilfahrt's squeeze bunt made it 7-0 and a Reinarts base hit increased it to 8-0.

Cathedral added three more runs in the fifth on singles by Penkert and Helget and an error. A single by Mertz and a two-run base hit by Schugel made it 11-0.

CATHEDRAL 000 83--11 8 0

LOYOLA 000 00-- 0 4 2

Game called on 10-run rule

W--Wilfahrt.L--Mulvhill 2B--Woodward (L), Schugel (CHS).