Jr. Legion edges Rochester, 2-0 in Classic

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- For the first three innings, the New Ulm Junior Legion suffered through a serious case of frustration, leaving eight runners on base -- five of which were left in scoring position.

But that frustration went away for the last three innings as Junior Legion pitchers stranded seven Rochester Century runners -- including leaving the bases loaded in the fifth when Rochester scored its only run -- as the New Ulm Junior Legion moved to 2-0 in the Junior Upper Midwest Classic with a 3-1 win.

Zach Barrett got credit for the win, pitching into the seventh inning before being relieved after a hit batter and a Junior Legion error. He struck out three but only walked one while allowing five hits and one run. Southpaw Nick Breu came in and got the last three outs -- the final two on strikes -- to end the game.

Josh Thorson collected two of New Ulm's five hits with Bryan Kamm belting an RBI double in the sixth with Tyler Morgan tripling.

Nate Hoffman took the loss for Rochester Century which drops to 0-2 in the JUMC.

Both teams ended with five hits.

"I thought that Zach (Barrett) threw a good game," said coach LeRoy Flor. "He did a nice job of getting the ball across the plate. We want our defense to do the work -- if we don't get our defense to do the work, we cannot win ballgames."

While the Junior Legion's defense did the work -- committing two errors in the game that did not figure in the scoring --New Ulm' bats early on did not.

New Ulm, who beat Sioux Falls 17-2 Thursday night, put runners on base in the first three innings but did not get rewarded for it.

In the first, Josh Thorson singled with two outs and Adam Neubauer walked. But lefthander Nate Hoffman retired Zach Barrett on a pop-out to end the inning.

Again in the second, New Ulm put together a serious scoring threat.

Tony Mielke reached on a fielder's choice and Landon Rewitzer was hit by a pitch. Hoffman walked Bryan Kamm to load the bases but then got Tim Fischer to groundout for the final out.

And yet, again, New Ulm loaded the bases in the third on two walks and a fielder's choice before Hoffman got Mielke to fly out to rightfield.

"It was probably as frustrating as it has been in a long time," Flor said. "We usually hit the ball a lot better with runners on base -- we had some good hitters at the plate with the runners on. But give credit to (Hoffman) -- he did a good job."

New Ulm finally scored a run when Thorson led off with a single. He broke for second on a steal attempt as Hoffman's throw went to firstbaseman Tom Lyons. His throw to shortstop Alex Kangas covering second was bobbled allowing Thorson to safely reach second.

A wild pitch moved him to third and Barrett's suicide squeeze bunt scored Thorson.

"We know how to bunt -- we will bunt anytime and at any spot,' Flor said. "They know how to get the bunt down."

Rochester knotted the game in the bottom of the inning on a Nate Curry single, a stolen base and a Nate Johnson single.

But the Junior Legion used a Rewitzer one-out single and a Bryan Kamm double for a 2-1 lead in the sixth and then added another run in the seventh when Thorson walked, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an error on a Tyler Morgan linedrive off the glove of shortstop Alex Kangas.

Barrett left in the seventh with two on and no outs before Nick Breu got the final three outs.

JUNIOR LEGION 000-011-1--3-5-3

ROCHESTER 000 10-0--1-5-2

WP: Barrett. LP: Hoffman.