Gold edges Mankato

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- When one pitcher allows four hits and the other pitcher permits three hits, the outcome of the game is based upon how each team takes advantage of its opportunities.

Monday night, New Ulm Legion Gold used an error, a walk and a sacrifice bunt to key run-scoring innings as they edged Mankato Post 11 3-1 in South Central Conference Legion play at Mueller Park.

Dusty Wilfahrt got the win for New Ulm (16-3). He went the distance, striking out six and allowing four Mankato hits. He did not walk a batter.

Mark Woodward was touched for the loss for Mankato (8-9). He held New Ulm bats to three hits and struck out two. He issued two walks, one of which scored.

"There were not a lot of hits either way," said Gold coach Dave Kunz. "Both pitchers kept each others team's hitters off-balance (the teams outfielders had only one put out each in the game). Their pitcher kept our hitters grounding to third or shortstop. We could not manage to get much going."

New Ulm, which will host Blue Earth at 8 p.m. today at Mueller Park in a make-up game, scored an unearned run in the first inning.

Joey Schugel reached on a fielding error by Post 11 shortstop Aaron Madson and stole second. A John Enter single to center plated Schugel for a 1-0 lead.

But Mankato knotted the game in the third inning as New Ulm returned the favor with an error that resulted in a run. And it could have been more.

Justin LaFlavor led off with a ground ball that got under the glove of diving first baseman Jace Marti. The ball was fielded by second baseman Craig Spelbrink cleanly, but his throw to pitcher Dusty Wilfahrt covering first sailed by Wilfahrt on the home-plate side allowing LaFlavor to reach second.

A passed ball allowed LaFlavor to take third. Marc Bode's infield single placed runners on first and third. Darren Tungsvik singled to center to tie the game at 1 before Danny Liggett's bunt single loaded the bases with none out.

But Mark Waltman grounded into a 5-2-3 double play and Wilfahrt struck out Miles Haefner for the final out.

Gold then took advantage of Post 11's second error of the game for a run in the fifth inning.

Travis Thorson's ground ball to third baseman Wade Woefel resulted in a two-base throwing error and a Marti ground out advanced Thorson to third. Designated hitter Bob Wellmann then grounded to shortstop Madson, whose throw to the plate was not in time to nail Thorson and New Ulm had a 2-1 lead.

Post 132 tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Eric Austvold drew the first walk of the game by Woodward and a Rob Geistfeld sacrifice bunt moved him to second.

Joey Schugel then made that bunt pay off when he looped a single over second baseman Tungsvik's head for a 3-1 lead.

"We did a nice job with the (sacrifice) bunt tonight," said Kunz. "And Dusty did a nice job on the mound. He was around the plate. He did not walk a batter."

MANKATO 001 000 0--1 4 2

NEW ULM GOLD 100 011 x--3 3 1

MANKATO: Mark Woodward and Jason Woodruff. NEW ULM: Dusty Wilfahrt and Rob Geistfeld.