Sleepy Eye advances to championship

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Jake Deibele's double to right center scored Bryce Belseth in the top of the eighth inning as Sleepy Eye eliminated Mankato 7-6 in the District 2 American Legion Division I Baseball Tournament Friday.

Sleepy Eye plays New Ulm Gold at 1 p.m. Saturday in Sleepy Eye for the District 2 Championship. Sleepy Eye would have to beat New Ulm twice to win the title.

Mankato threatened in the last of the inning with runners on second and third with nobody out. After a strikeout, Charlie Eppard scored on a passed ball. Sleepy Eye relief pitcher Josh Hadley struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Mankato jumped to a 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning as Aaron Madson and Eric Starke homered. Dan Umhoefer walked before Starke's homer. Mankato went up 4-0 in the third on two hit batters and a single.

Sleepy Eye tied the game in the fourth on four hits and four errors. Bryce Belseth tripled in Dusty Mangen who doubled in Darrin Haala and Andy Cook. Cook singled and Cody Walter and Haala reached base on errors. Belseth was called out at homeplate on a squeeze play.

Mankato went up 5-4 in the fifth on two hits, an infield error and a walk. Sleepy Eye rightfielder Randy Braun threw out Mitch Salsbury at homeplate to end the half inning.

Sleepy Eye tied the game in the top of the seventh. Randy Braun led off with a walk, took second when Chris Reinarts' bunt was mishandled. Andy Cook walked to load the bases before Braun scored on a wild pitch.

Mankato threatened in the bottom of the seventh, putting the winning run on third base with no outs when Mitch Salsbury was hit by a pitch. Salsbury tried to score on a wild pitch but was called out at home plate. The final two outs came on called third strikes.

Sleepy Eye Coach Bruce Belseth praised his pitchers for coming up big when it counted and his team's overall play.

"There were a lot of close calls and some of them went our way," Belseth said. "Darrin (Haala) really came back and Josh (Hadley) pitched a tremendous eighth inning."

SLEEPY EYE 000 400 12 -- 7 9 2

MANKATO 301 001 01 -- 6 10 6

Haala, Hadley (8) and Cook; Woodward, Waltman (7), Sorenson (7) and Salsbury.

2B-Mangen, Deibele (SE). 3B-Belseth (SE). HR-Madson, Starke (M). LOB SE 5, M 4.