Big fourth inning spurs Junior Legion

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Junior Legion took advantage of seven free passes in the fourth inning and turned them into eight runs as the Junior Legion defeated St. Peter 12-2 in five innings Wednesday at Mueller Park.

David Rodenberg pitched the first three innings for New Ulm. He walked four and struck out two. He also allowed two hits and one run. Gary Wilfahrt pitched the last two innings. He walked three, gave up two hits and one run. He struck out one.

New Ulm took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after David Rodenberg got a two-out hit and Mike Penkert drew a walk.

Brady Mosenden knocked in Rodenberg's courtesy runner, Matt Pryor, and Gary Wilfahrt singled in Penkert.

New Ulm tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third after Andy Kitzberger singled and stole second. Tom Fischer singled and both runners were driven in by Rodenberg, who drove a Matt Knutson offering into the gap in left-center, giving New Ulm a 4-1 lead.

In the fourth inning, Knutson hit Wilfahrt to lead-off the inning and Jon Suess followed with a base hit that ended Knutson's stint on the mound.

Relief pitcher Ben Mikelson then plunked Kitzberger and Jon Curry with pitches and walked Tom Fischer.

He then gave up a single to Dan Drexler that scored two runs, giving New Ulm a 7-1 lead. Rodenberg followed with an RBI single that gave New Ulm an 8-1 lead and Sam Verschaetse came off the bench to deliver a two-run single. Penkert and Verschaetse eventually scored, giving New Ulm a 12-1 lead.

"We're focusing right now on our last three games before sub-districts, and I told them, even if the pitcher's wild, he's going to come in and we gotta attack that fastball," Junior Legion coach Jay Backer said.

"Their first pitcher was a decent pitcher," Backer said. "Their second pitcher had a little control issues, but the adjustments were to be a disciplined hitter."

Wilfahrt allowed a double to Knutson in the top of the fifth and Knutson scored on a single to center by Mikelson. Wilfahrt walked two more hitters to load the bases, but struck out Darby Kramer to end the game. St. Peter stranded nine runners and New Ulm stranded seven.

Kitzberger, Fischer, Rodenberg and Penkert all scored two runs for New Ulm. The Junior Legion collected 10 hits compared to St. Peter's four. Both teams committed two errors.

New Ulm (17-8) hosts Shakopee at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Mueller Park.