Hoffmann leads New Ulm Blue to first-round win

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

MANKATO -- This past spring, David Hoffmann saw his pitching duties limited to the junior varsity at New Ulm High School.

Friday afternoon, he posts his sixth win against no losses as he scattered six Worthington hits as New Ulm Blue edged Worthington 5-3 in the first round of the Second District American Legion Baseball Tournament at Wolverton Field.

Hoffmann, a 16-year old, struck out three and got some help from his defense in the bottom of the ninth inning. Leading 5-3, Hoffmann walked Matt Schafer to start the bottom of the ninth and then hit Joel Hofman to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Ignoring the bunt, Mark Johnson flew out to center fielder Jeff Schnobrich for the first out. Blue catcher Ryan Turbes then caught Hofman too far off first with a perfect throw to first baseman Curt Thoreson for out number two. Hoffmann then finished off Worthington by striking out Adam Felle to end the game.

New Ulm Blue will now face New Ulm Gold today at noon at Wolverton Field at Mankato East High School.

Schnobrich and Andy Boyle each had two hits for New Ulm Blue.

Joe Klumper took the loss for Worthington (9-12).

"I just wanted to keep the ball down and pitch as well as I can," Hoffmann said. He had Worthington hitters lunging at his off-speed pitches all game. "I knew that we were the underdog in this game, so I just wanted to throw strikes."

New Ulm Blue staked Hoffmann to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Schnobrich reached on a one-out infield single and went to third on a hit-and-run single to right by Boyle. Schnobrich scored on a fielder's choice, and a Turbes check-swing single to right scored the second run for New Ulm Blue.

Worthington cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning an a sacrifice fly by Justin Saufler.

Blue countered that with a run in the top pf the second after two were out. Al Schwartz was hit by a Klumper pitch with two outs and stole second -- one of Blue's five steals of second base in the game -- then scored when Worthington right fielder Justin Holimka dropped a fly ball off of the bat of Mikale Gustafson.

Worthington notched a run in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2 before Blue scored in the top of the fifth. Schnobrich singled with two outs, swiped second and scored on Boyle's single.

"We were aggressive," Blue coach Rob Geistfeld said. "It worked out well. They had trouble throwing runners out at second. We wanted to take advantage of that."

Worthington cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth on a fielder's choice before New Ulm Blue put some space between them and Worthington with a run in the top of the eighth inning.

Curt Thoreson laced a one-out double to center field and scampered to third on a Turbes groundout. Thoreson scored on Jacob Meyer's infield single.

"David (Hoffmann) has been our horse all year," Geistfeld said. "He gets in some trouble but gets tough and works out of it. It will be fun to play (New Ulm) Gold. Everyone knows each other -- it is a fun time."

NEW ULM BLUE 210 010 010 -- 5 8 1

WORTHINGTON 100 110 000 -- 3 6 2