Essig takes division crown

Brewers draft Armbruster, Hirsch

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- John Giefer's single in the top of the 10th inning scored Terry Helget from second and right-hander Dusty Fleck worked out of a jam in the bottom of the inning as Essig squeaked by the Brewers 5-4 to win the American Division play-off crown.

Paul Nelson got the win for the Bluejays in relief of starter Kevin Hulke, with Fleck recording the save.

Dave Reinarts was tagged with the loss for New Ulm also in relief.

The Brewers and Essig now begin Region 2C playoffs on Saturday with Essig hosting Stark at 2 p.m. and the Brewers entertaining Lamberton that night at 7:30 p.m at Mueller Park.

Both teams drafted players, with Essig taking John Beckius and Dayton Larson from Hanska with the Brewers selecting two players from Leavenworth -- Chad Armbruster and Gabe Hirsch.

Giefer led Essig with four hits in five at-bats and drove in three runs, with Ryan Weier adding three hits and Helget two.

Scott O'Brien led the Brewers with three hits. Travis Thorson, Jamie Hoffmann and Corey Schaefer all had two hits.

Essig scored two, first inning runs off of New Ulm starter Tony Burt, who went seven innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits.

Ryan Weier singled and went to second on a Kyle Helget groundout. He scored on Helget's two-out double with Helget racing home on a Giefer base hit.

New Ulm sliced that lead in half in the bottom of the third when Schaefer led off with a single and swiped second. Evan Jacobs' bunt single placed Schaefer at third and a Travis Thorson groundout brought in Schaefer.

The Bluejays added a run in the top of the fourth. Lee Haala singled with one out and stole second. He scored on Weier's line drive single with two outs.

Essig made it 4-1 in the seventh inning. An error and a fielder's choice put Helget on first, and a Giefer two-out double scored him.

But the Brewers knotted the game with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Travis Thorson and Hoffmann singled to start the inning, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Paul Nelson relieved Hulke and walked Chris Peters to load the bases.

A wild pitch scored one run and a Troy Kamm sacrifice fly scored the second run of the inning.

Scott O'Brien's RBI single off a 1-2 Nelson offering tied the game.

After Essig took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th, the Brewers mounted a threat. Kamm laced a one out single off of Nelson. Dusty Fleck entered and allowed an O'Brien single to put the Brewers on first and second with one out. But Fleck retired Craig Spelbrink and Schaefer to end the game.

ESSIG 200 100 100 1 -- 5 12 1

BREWERS 001 000 030 0 -- 4 12 1