Jr. Legion advances to championship round

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- In their last two games, the New Ulm Junior Legion had combined for just 10 hits.

Saturday night against Rochester, New Ulm pounded out 16 hits -- including a 360-foot home run to left by Mike Penkert -- to crush Rochester 20-10 in six innings.

Ryan Bauer got the win for the Junior Legion going four innings.

Chris Zimmy took the loss for Rochester.

David Rodenberg paced the 16-hit attack with three hits and five RBI. Tom Fischer and Dan Drexler both collected two hits with Drexler driving in four runs. Fischer and Penkert both drove in three runs.

Joe Knoepke had two hits for Rochester and drove in two runs.

Rochester would lead 1-0 in a quiet game for New Ulm bats as they had not collected a hit for two innings.

But in the third, the bats came alive as they sent 17 men to the plate and scored 12 runs. In that inning that saw New Ulm pound out nine hits, Gary Wilfahrt, Andy Kitzberger, Rodenberg and Jon Suess all scored twice. Rodenberg collected two hits and four RBI in the inning while Drexler drove in three runs.

It was an inning that broke New Ulm out of a two-game slump. "The first two innings we were kind of flat on our feet at the plate," Rodenberg said. 'We started to swing the bat and get aggressive at the plate. Sometimes we do not get going right away -- we were a little dead at the beginning of the game."

But that 12-1 lead dwindled to a 12-7 lead as Bauer could not shake off the effects of a long inning by New Ulm. Rochester scored six runs on just two hits, aided by two New Ulm errors, two walks and a hit batter.

However, the offensive spark continued for New Ulm as it came back with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. Run-scoring singles by Rodenberg and Fischer and a two-run single by Drexler upped the lead to 16-7. Penkert then belted a 3-2 offering from Zimmy 360 feet over the fence in left-center for a three-run homer and a a 19-7 lead.

"I kept fouling off pitches," Penkert said. "I just waited for my pitch and it came. I was hoping that it was going out -- it has always been my goal ever since I was little to hit one out of here."

Rochester would come back with three runs in the top of the sixth before New Ulm ended the game on a Fisher RBI single.

"I think that this game will be a springboard for tomorrow," Penkert said.

Game 16

Mankato 5,

New Ulm Jr. Legion 0

NEW ULM -- Mankato turned three double plays, two that ended New Ulm Junior Legion innings and made a 5-0 third inning lead hold up as they topped the Junior Legion 5-0 Saturday afternoon in the Junior Upper Midwest Classic.

Brian Winter was the beneficiary of the three double plays as he spun a six-hit complete game shutout over New Ulm.

Tom Fischer took the loss for the Junior Legion, going four innings and yielding all five runs on eight hits.

Derek Hager led the Mankato offense with three hits including a double and drove in three runs. Chris Ward added two hits while Jeremy Westphal contributed a double.

Ryan Domeier doubled for the Junior Legion.

In its last two games, the Junior Legion, normally a good-hitting team, has been held to a total of 10 hits, which is something that coach Jay Backer attributed to the opponent.

"We are an aggressive team, but on the other hand, we saw good pitchers in the games," he said. "Our kids were aggressive at the plate and I really cannot fault them for that."

Mankato would score all of the runs that they needed in the first inning off of Fischer. Ward singled, stole second and trotted home on Derek Hager's base hit. Hager followed by swiping second and racing home on a one-out single courtesy of Pete Harstad for a 2-0 lead.

A groundout and a single by Dan Hager scored Harstad for a 3-0 lead.

Mankato added single runs in the second and third innings. Jeremy Westphal doubled and eventually scored on a Derek Hager base hit in the second. In the third, two walks coupled with a Westphal single made the lead 5-0.

The Junior Legion threatened in third and fourth innings. Domeier slapped a one-out double and Andy Kitzberger walked. But Gary Wilfahrt grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.

In the fourth, Jonathon Curry walked but was erased on another 6-3 double play off the bat of Fischer. Mankato turned their third twin-killing -- and second, inning-ending double play -- in the sixth. Curry was hit by a pitch and after a fielder's choice, Mankato used a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play to end the inning.

"Mankato is a good ballclub and they made the plays," Backer said. "They were the best team today and probably the best team in the tournament."