Essig defeats

Redwood Falls

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

ESSIG -- Essig lefthander Kevin Hulke yielded only five hits while striking out eight as the Bluejays scored four runs in the second inning enroute to a 6-1 win over Redwood Falls Sunday afternoon in Tomahawk East League baseball.

Hulke, who went the distance, threw 117 pitches, 82 for strikes as he improved the Essig season mark to 6-3.

John Jenniges took the loss for the Redbirds who fell to 0-5 in Tomahawk East League play.

Jenniges gave up only seven hits but a costly error and a passed ball on a strikeout contributed to the four-run Bluejay second inning.

Doug Radloff led the Essig offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases.

Dean Reinhart led Redwood with two hits in four at-bats including a double. Cory Theis also doubled for the Redbirds.

Essig, who will play at Springfield Friday night, broke open a scoreless game in the second inning.

Mitch Stueber led off with a single, and Dan Brake was hit by a Jenniges' pitch. After Jenniges fanned Darrin Helget, Mitch Lewis' groundball forced Brake at second. Stueber scored when Jason Schmitz struck out but the ball got by catcher Brandon Kerkhoff for a 1-0 lead.

A walk to Travis Walden preceded a Terry Helget groundball that went under the glove of third baseman Ben Dold and Lewis scored.

Doug Radloff upped the Essig lead to 4-0 when he doubled down the right field line to score both Schmitz and Walden.

The Redbirds, who will host Lamberton on Friday, got to Hulke for their only run of the game in the top of the third inning.

After Hulke retired the first two batters of the inning, he walked Brandon Kerkhoff -- Hulke's only walk of the game -- and Dan Reinhart doubled home Kerkhoff to cut the lead to 4-1.

Essig, who stranded 13 runners on base in the game including leaving two runners on base in the first four innings, added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

Stueber led off the seventh, taking first when he was hit by a Jenniges' pitch. He stole second and came home on Dan Brake's single to left with Brake taking second on an error on the play.

The 'Jays added another run in the eighth off reliever Ben Dold. Greg Haubrich walked with one out, and John Geifer reached on a two-out free pass.

Steuber then sent Haubrich home with a single to center.

REDWOOD FALLS 001-000-000=1-5-3

ESSIG 040-000-11X=6-7-1

REDWOOD FALLS: John Jenniges, Ben Dold (7) and Brandon Kerkhoff. ESSIG: Kevin Hulke and Terry Helget. 2B: Radloff (E), Reinhart (RF), Theis (RF).

NEW ULM BREWERS 9, SLEEPY EYE INDIANS 0 (Forfeit)

In other Tomahawk action, the New Ulm Brewers were awarded a 9-0 forfeit win over Sleepy Eye Sunday evening when the Indians did not have nine players to start the game.

New Ulm is now 8-0 while the Indians drop to 4-2.

On Saturday, Winthrop defeated Leavenworth 8-4.