Errors prove to be good as Gold

New Ulm Legion Gold downs Sleepy Eye

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- New Ulm Legion Gold took advantage of three Sleepy Eye errors to score six unearned runs en route to a 9-2 win over Sleepy Eye Tuesday night in South Central Legion play.

Nick Breu picked up the win for Gold (7-1) going five innings. He gave up two runs on three hits while striking out four.

Dan Krzmarzick, who entered for an injured Josh Hadley in the bottom of the first inning, was tagged with the loss for Sleepy Eye (3-2).

Jamie Hoffmann, Eric Austvold and Tyson Anderson each had two hits with Hoffmann belting a first-inning two-run home run. Anderson had two doubles with Pete Meier driving in two runs.

Joey Wahl drilled a solo home run for Sleepy Eye.

"I was happy with the way that Nick pitched," Gold coach Dave Kunz said. "He started to get a little tired towards the end, so that is why we had Tony (Mielke) come in. I wanted them both to get some time pitching because our doubleheader (Sunday) with Minneapolis was postponed."

New Ulm, after turning a double play in the top of the first inning -- one of three twin killings by the Gold defense -- scored twice in the bottom of the first inning.

After Sleepy Eye starter Josh Hadley set down Keith McClellan and Jeff Dolan, Austvold legged out an infield single. Hoffmann then jumped all over Hadley's first pitch, sending it over the fence in left field. it was his third home run of the season.

That would end Hadley's night on the mound as he hurt his right arm on the delivery.

"He actually hurt his arm in the spring pitching in college in Willmar," Sleepy Eye coach Jeff Cook said. "He wanted to pitch pretty bad tonight -- I should have probably taken him out a pitch earlier because I could see him reaching (for his arm)."

New Ulm carried that lead into the third inning when Sleepy Eye tied the game at 2-2.

Joey Wahl led off with a solo home run to left field before a walk and a fielder's choice put a runner on first. Chris Reinarts' single moved Matt Mathiowetz to third before an Andy Cook sacrifice fly to center field scored the tying run.

But Gold would counter, scoring three runs after there were two outs.

Keith McClellan reached on an infield single and scampered to second on a Jeff Dolan sacrifice bunt. After Austvold popped out for the second out, Sleepy Eye intentionally walked Hoffman.

The strategy backfired as Kyle Marti drew a walk off of reliever Dan Krzmarzick to load the bases. Tyson Anderson's ground ball to third baseman Tyler Jensen was fielded cleanly, but his throw to first was in the dirt, allowing McClellan to score.

The boot hurt even more when Meier delivered a two-run single to center for a 5-2 lead.

In the fifth, Jenson's second throwing error of the game permitted one runs to score. After Austvold had doubled, Anderson doubled with two outs to score Austvold. Anderson trotted home on a throwing error after a Meier ground ball.

In the sixth, a walk, Jensen's third error and a two out single by Hoffmann made it 9-2

"We had been playing good defense this year," Cook said. "But when you don't make the plays on defense, you do not stay in the game."

Kunz said that he was pleased with the way that his team came back after Sleepy Eye tied the game at 2-2.

"We scored the runs -- they had some errors -- but we got the big hits when we needed them," he said. "We took care of the guys that we got on base. And we played solid defense."

SLEEPY EYE 002 000 0 -- 2 4 3

NEW ULM GOLD 203 022 X -- 9 8 0

WP: Breu. LP: Krzmarzick. 2B: Anderson 2 (NU), Austvold (NU). HR: Hoffmann (NU), Wahl (SE).