Legion Blue gets first win of '01 season

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- New Ulm Legion Blue won in its first game of the 2001 season Thursday night. Jacob Mertz made sure of it.

The left-hander spun a one hitter -- striking out seven -- and laid down a squeeze bunt to break open a tie game as Post 132 pulled away to defeat Mankato 6-1 in South Central Legion action at Johnson Park.

Mertz was able to work his way out of early-inning trouble, walking four Post 11 batters in the win. Phil Beske took the mound loss for Mankato, yielding two hits and three walks while striking out one in his five innings of work. He also hit two batters.

Legion Blue would not trail in the game, and grabbed a lead in the bottom of the first as a walk, a single and an error loaded the bases for Mertz, who took a Beske offering in the middle of the back to force home Corey Schnobrich for the 1-0 lead.

Mertz looked like he would make that run stand up as he went through the first 4 2-3 innings without yielding a hit. Isaac Forstner's great play up the middle robbed Aaron Madson of a base hit in the fourth, but former MVL teammate Danny Liggett would knot the game in the top of the fifth as he walked, stole second and came around to score on Miles Haefner's single to right-center -- Post 11's only hit of the game.

The tie wouldn't last long, however, as Blue plated a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Tyler Janni started the rally with a bloop single to right, Brandon Rolloff reached on an error, and Travis Boddy's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Mertz then stepped to the plate and laid a bunt down the third base line that was rolling foul, but Beske made a play on it and Janni scored for a 2-1 lead. Rolloff, who was moving on the play, scored when Beske threw late to try to nail Mertz at first base.

New Ulm then cemented the win with three runs in the sixth as Post 11 reliever Mark Woodrow couldn't find the plate -- walking four batters in just 2-3 of an inning. His wild pitch scored pinch hitter Gary Wurtrzberger, and Rolloff's sacrifice fly to center plated Chris Cariveau with the fifth run of the game. Boddy then ended the scoring with an RBI single to left that scored Peter Meier from second. Adam Bartels tried to extend that lead on a Mertz single to center, but was gunned down on a perfect 8-3-2 relay to the plate.

The game ended as Mertz sat down Post 11 in order in the top of the seventh, ending of string of seven straight hitters retired. He also had a string of nine straight in the middle innings.

Legion Blue (1-0) will participate in the Mankato Tournament today and Saturday.

MANKATO 000 010 0--1 1 3

NEW ULM 100 023 x--6 5 0

Beske, Woodrow (5), Madson (5) and Costello, Woodruff (5); Mertz and Janni. WP-Mertz (1-0), LP-Beske. HRs-None.