Gold wins in 7th

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

FAIRMONT -- Andy Stolt's sacrifice fly with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Joey Schugel from third and lifted New Ulm Gold to a 6-5 win over Lamberton Saturday night in the Second District American Legion Tournament.

Jamie Hoffmann got the win for Gold (28-3) in relief of starter Craig Spelbrink. Hoffmann did not allow a run in his 2 2/3 innings of relief and allowed only one hit.

Adam Schumacher was tagged with the loss for Lamberton (20-7) in relief of starter Jon Hansen.

Travis Thorson led New Ulm with three hits while Rob Geistfeld added two. Andy Stolt drove in three runs.

Isaac Jenniges, Colby Pack, Chase Hillesheim and Mike Redman all had three hits for Lamberton.

New Ulm will face Sleepy Eye today at 5 p.m. in Fairmont while Lamberton will meet New Ulm Blue at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game.

Gold, which had stranded seven runners in the game,began their winning rally in the seventh inning off of Schumacher who took over for Hansen at the start of the inning.

He walked Schugel before John Enter laid down a bunt. Schumacher fielded the ball but his throw to second in an attempt to force out Schugel sailed into center field.

Thorson's fly out to deep center put Schugel on third. Lamberton then elected to intentionally walk Jace Marti to load the bases.

Stolt then ended the game with that sacrifice fly to center that Schugel easily beat home.

Lamberton had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning off of Spelbrink who got his pitches up all night.

Darren Tietz was safe on an infield single and Jenniges drew a walk. A one out double steal put runners on second and third Tom VanLoy's sacrifice fly scored Tietz and a Hillesheim base hit on an 0-2 pitch plated Jenniges.

Gold used an Enter walk to start the second inning to jumps-start their offense for a four-run inning.

Thorson followed with a bunt single before Marti singled home Enter with Thorson scampering to third. Marti stole second before Hansen uncorked a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. Stolt followed with an RBI single to right for a 3-2 lead. Stolt then took second on a Dusty Wilfahrt sacrifice bunt. An Eric Austvold groundout and Geistfeld's base hit gave New Ulm a 4-2 lead.

But Spelbink could not hold the lead as Lamberton tied up the game in the top of the third. Jenniges and Pack slapped one-out singles. A wild pitch moved Jenniges to third and Pack swiped second a pitch later. Hillesheim then collected his second hit of the game, singling in both Jenniges and Pack.

New Ulm regained the lead in the fourth thanks to two Lamerton errors. Wilfahrt reached on an error by Jenniges at third and stole second. An Austvold base hit moved him to third before Austvold was thrown out trying to steal second. Geistfeld then reached and Wilfahrt scored on an error by shortstop Travis Kottke.

But Lamberton again responded with a tying run in the fifth. Jenniges singled with one out and Pack doubled him home, ending Spelbrink's night on the mound.

Both teams threatened in the sixth before Hoffmann set down Lamberton in order in the seventh setting up the game-winning tally.

LAMBERTON 202-010-0=5-9-4

NEW ULM GOLD 040-100-1=6-9-0

One out when winning run scored.

LAMBERTON: Jon Hansen, Adam Schumacher (7), Colby Pack (7) and Chase Hillesheim.

NEW ULM GOLD: Craig Spelbrink, Jamie Hoffmann (5) and Rob Geistfeld.