Visker, Brewers top Essig, 12-9

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Several years ago, Jared Visker was one of southern Minnesota's best high school pitchers. After graduation from New Ulm High School, Visker accepted a baseball scholarship from Baylor University.

But arm and shoulder problems curtailed his college and amateur pitching career.

However, on Tuesday night, Visker started his comeback, throwing 3 2/3 innings of relief and permitting only one run on two hits as the Brewers topped Essig 12-9 in Tomahawk East League play.

Visker picked up the win in relief of starter Tony Burt who went 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs, five of which were unearned.

Chris Peters pitched the ninth inning to get the save.

Paul Nelson took the loss for the Bluejays.

Scott Schaefer led the 14 hit New Ulm attack with three hits. Chad Hoffmann, Corey Schaefer and Troy Kamm all had two hits. Scott Schaefer drove in three runs with Scott Schaefer plating two runs. Scott O'Brien and Corey Schaefer each double with John Enter lacing an inside the park home run in the eighth inning.

John Giefer had two hits.

The Jays and New Ulm each scored three runs in the third inning before a large crowd on "Fan Appreciation Night".

Essig got its runs on a Jason Schmitz' double and a two-run fly ball single by Doug Radloff.

New Ulm matched that in their half of the inning when Scott O'Brien doubled and went to third on Chad Hoffmann's single. Scott Schaefer's single scored O'Brien before Grey Haubrich, Essig's pitcher, hit Todd Hoffmann with two outs to load the bases.

Shane Kraus made it hurt with a two-run single.

The Brewers broke the tie with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to two Essig errors coupled with two walks.

O'Brien reached on a fielder's choice before Chad Hoffmann reached on an error.Paul Nelson relieved Haubrich and gave up a single to Scott Schaefer, which loaded the bases.

A Chris Peters' Texas League RBI single, walks to Kraus and Corey Schaefer and an error made it 7-3 before Troy Kamm singled in two more runs.

But the Jays scratched back with five runs in the fifth -- all unearned -- off of Burt.

An error, a single and another error cut the lead to 9-6 before Mitch Lewis singled in two runs to end Burt's night.

Visker retired the final out and set down four straight hitters before Essig tied the game at nine on a John Giefer single.

But that was all the runs that Essig got off of Visker and Peters.

New Ulm tallied two runs in the seventh on sacrifice flys by Scott Schafer and Peters.

The Brewers added an insurance run in the eighth when John Enter drove a Terry Helget pitch to deep center for an inside-the-park home run.

ESSIG 003 050- 100 -- 9-8-3

BREWERS 003 600 21X -- 12-14-5