NU Blue splits with St. PeterWendinger gets game-winner in

seventh

inning

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The way things panned out for the New Ulm Blue 16-under softball team, one would think that head coach Ron Stueber strategically placed a secret weapon on his bench.

Shelly Wendinger came off the bench to go 2-for-2 and picked up the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh to lead New Ulm to a 7-6 win over St. Peter in the first game of a doubleheader at Harman Park.

"We did really good coming back," Wendinger said. "We hit the ball good."

New Ulm caught a break in the seventh when Megan DeBoer hit a pop-up between the catcher and the pitcher. The catcher dropped the ball with two outs, scoring Molly Boyle and Katie Stueber.

Wendinger then legged out an infield single that scored Sally Schreiber for the win.

"We thought that that game was going to be done," Wendinger said. "We were scared that we were gonna lose this one."

Stueber got the win for New Ulm. She went the distance, striking out six. New Ulm committed eight errors in the game.

"We weren't really in the game, but then during the game, we all got together and talked about it," Wendinger said.

St. Peter scored three runs in the top of the second inning, and New Ulm got on the board in the bottom of the third when Molly Boyle picked up New Ulm's first hit. She took second on an errant throw and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

St. Peter went up 5-1 in the fourth inning before New Ulm scored two more in the fifth. Wendinger reached with a base hit and Jess Curry reached on an error by the shortstop. Both runners eventually scored to make it 5-3.

Wendinger walked and scored New Ulm's fourth run in the sixth inning to bring her team to within one run.

St. Peter tacked on one more run to go up 6-4 in the seventh inning before New Ulm pieced together a rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs to win the game.

Boyle walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on Caitlin Barrett's hit. Stueber later reached on a fielder's choice and Schreiber reached on an error by the pitcher that loaded the bases.

Then, with two out, DeBoer hit a pop-up that was dropped after St. Peter pitcher Alissa Janson collided with the catcher, scoring Boyle and Stueber.

Schreiber scored the winning run on Wendinger's infield single.

In the second game, St. Peter won 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Stueber pitched the complete game in the loss.

New Ulm Blue (7-12) plays New Ulm Red at 6 p.m. today at Jefferson Field.