New Ulm figures out Blue Earth southpaw en route to 7-4 victory

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- All year long New Ulm VFW Gold coach Bob Weier has talked about his team's inexperience. And for a young team, it seems almost everything is a new experience.

VFW Gold had to adjust to a left-handed pitcher Monday night. It took them three innings, but they adjusted, erupting for six runs in a 7-4 win over Blue Earth at Mueller Park.

The game was extended to nine innings by mutual agreement.

"I think with a left-hander out there, it took some of our young hitters a time or two at the plate to get used to him," Weier said. "This was a new theme for them, but they did start to hit the ball after they got a good look at him."

Blue Earth starter Bobby Verdoorn (0-1) looked unbeatable for three innings. He faced one batter more than the minimum and the only VFW Gold hitter to reach only got as far as second base.

But then it fell apart for Verdoorn and fell into place for VFW Gold (13-17).

It started innocuously. New Ulm picked up a run in the bottom of the third inning to tied the score at 1 without benefit of a hit thanks to two Blue Earth errors.

After Blue Earth retook the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, the bottom fell out for Verdoorn. Four of the first five VFW Gold batters reached before Verdoorn's night on the mound was mercifully ended.

Joey Geistfeld was hit by a Verdoorn pitch with one out. The next batter -- Landon Rewitzer -- also got tagged by Verdoorn.

A five-pitch walk to Joey Lux followed. Tony Mielke then singled to center, scoring Geistfeld and Rewitzer to tie the game at 3.

Verdoorn exited in favor of Jake Varnis, who gave up three consecutive singles Adam Prochniak, Josh Thorson and Adam Neubauer. Thorson's ground-ball single just past the glove of Blue Earth shortstop Jason Frey scored Lux and Mielke, and VFW Gold upped its lead to 6-3 when Zack Barret reached on a fielder's choice.

In all, New Ulm sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth.

VFW Gold added one unearned run in the seventh when Mielke reached on an error, stole second base and came home on Adam Macho's bloop single to right-center.

Mielke went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead VFW Gold. Thorson went 1-for-3 with two RBI, and Prochniak and Macho each went 1-for-2 for New Ulm.

Verdoorn, Frey and Varnis each went 2-for-4 for Blue Earth, which outhit VFW Gold eight to six. Verdoorn scored a run and drove in another, and Frey recorded an RBI for Blue Earth (10-8).

Neubauer got the win for New Ulm, going five innings and allowing three runs -- one earned -- on three hits. Mielke worked four innings of relief and gave up one run on six hits.

"That was a planned thing, to give both kids some innings today," Weier said. "They haven't pitched since about a week ago. They needed some innings going into the playoffs this coming weekend."

Neubauer was just as impressive as Verdoorn was early. Verdoorn got the only Blue Earth hit in the first four innings -- a double in the top of the first -- but was stranded when Neubauer retired the next two Blue Earth batters.

Neubauer set down Blue Earth in order in the second and the third innings and was looking to retire his ninth straight when Verdoorn reached on an error. Verdoorn stole second, went to third on another New Ulm error and scored the first run of the game when Frey grounded out.

Blue Earth picked up two more runs in the fifth. Eric Sonnek walked and Jordan Hassing singled a batter later, taking second when VFW Gold right fielder Andy Boyle misplayed the ball, advancing Sonnek to third.

Two batters later, Dan Odden singled to right to score Sonnek and Verdoorn grounded to Lux at second, but New Ulm wasn't able to turn the double play and Hassing scored for a 3-1 Blue Earth lead.

Mielke started the sixth and got out of one-out, two-on jam by striking Sonnek and Hassing to end the inning. Mielke struck out the side in the sixth and also struck out the side in the eighth to get out of another jam. The left-hander finished with 11 strike outs by striking out the side again in the top of the ninth.

"Our pitchers did a pretty good job," Weier said. "They got themselves into a little bit of trouble,m but they pitched out of it. I thought our defense played adequate most of the time ... offensively we did a nice job. We moved runners over, we got some base hits with two outs. We played a good ballgame all the way around."

BLUE EARTH 000 120 001--4 8 2

NU VFW GOLD 000 150 010--7 6 3

Verdoorn, Varnis (5), Frey (7) and Anderson. Neubauer, Mielke (6) and Prochniak, Macho (7). W--Neubauer 2-4. L--Verdoorn 0-1. HRs--None. T--2:11.