Gold takes Legion District 2-1 title

By RYAN GALVIN

Journal Sports Writer

FAIRMONT -- It was two totally different styles of baseball played Saturday afternoon at Fairmont in the Second District Division One baseball Championship. One game was a runfest with a total of 20 runs in five innings and the other was a classic pitcher's duel. The only similarity between the two games was that New Ulm Legion Gold was victorious in both games.

Gold beat Sleepy Eye Legion by scores of 16-4 (five innings) and 3-2 to win the Second District Division Championship.

NUGold 16

Sleepy Eye 4

Gold must have had a little fire in their bellies after losing to Sleepy Eye last weekend because everybody was hitting the ball in the first game.

John Enter led Gold with three hits. He also scored twice and added an RBI. Brandon Reinarts, Travis Thorson, Joey Schugel and Craig Spelbrink all added two hits each. Thorson went 2-for-2 with two RBI and was hit twice in the back, coincindentally by the same pitcher, Josh Hadley. Eric Austvold and Robby Geistfeld tied Thorson for the team lead in RBI. Reinarts and Jamie Hoffmann had game highs in runs scored with three a piece.

Gold came out early, tagging Sleepy Eye starter Chad Armbruster with five runs in the first inning. They took advantage of Armbruster's inability to find the strike zone --he walked three batters-- with a few hits in between. Enter had the big hit of the inning when he singled to score Thorson and Schugel.

Armbruster made it into the second inning but didn't make it out as the first four batters of the inning reached base. Three of those baserunners -- Austvold, Reinarts and Hoffmann -- eventually scored.

Armbruster was charged with eight runs on five hits and four walks.

The pitching change didn't stop the onslaught of runs as Gold added fours runs in the third and fifth innings.

Throughout Gold's long innings at the plate, Gold hurler Michael Grossmann kept cool and tossed a steady five innings. He finished the game giving up four runs --one earned-- on five hits and struck out four.

Gold's win advanced the tournament to one last game.

NU Gold 3

Sleepy Eye 2

Everything was finely tuned for the game. The fielding was flawless and the umpires called a great game.

But the pitchers stole the show through the first four innings as Craig Spelbrink and Darrin Haala gave up only a single a piece to that point.

Haala gave up a single in the second to Schugel and Spelbrink was perfect until Haala singled off him in the fourth.

"I felt really good today. I was getting my breaking ball across the plate," Spelbrink commented.

Haala failed to get Schugel again in the fifth inning when he singled through the infield to start the inning.

"I tried to get things started. I knew the hitters after me would do the job," Schugel said.

He was correct as the next two hitters -- Geistfeld and Enter-- both singled. Geistfeld advanced Schugel to third and Enter knocked Schugel in with a hard ground ball between first and second base. Dusty Wilfahrt plated Geistfeld for the second run of the game after Andy Stolt's bunt.

Schugel pestered Haala again in the sixth inning. This time Schugel was walked with two outs. Geistfeld put runners on the corners again with a single. Schugel scored on a past ball to put the gap at three runs.

Sleepy Eye didn't go down without a fight as they finally figured out Spelbrink. Dusty Mangen walked and Randy Braun singled to put the first two batters of the sixth inning on base. Two batters later, Cody Walter walked to load the bases and end Spelbrink's day.

Andy Konz's groundball to Gold shortstop Schugel scored Sleepy Eye's first run. Schugel went for the inning-ending double play but Konz beat the throw. Haala singled in Braun to cut the deficit to one run and put the tying run in scoring position.

But closer Hoffmann buckled down and retired Armbruster to get out of the jam and save the win for Spelbrink. Spelbrink gave up two hits and two walks with three strike outs in 5 1-3 innings. He was charged with both runs.

Hoffmann breezed through the seventh inning to hold onto a 3-2 win and beat Sleepy Eye for the second time in a day for the championship.

"It took a big effort to beat them twice. They will do good in state," Coach Dave Kunz said.

Both teams will compete in the state tournament that starts Thursday in Rochester and Austin.

Sportsmanship award: New Ulm Blue received the sportmanship award for their courtesy shown through the two weekends. Three players were there to get the award and gave the credit to their coaches.

FIRST GAME

NU GOLD 534 04 --16 14 3

SLEEPY EYE 011 20 -- 4 5 3

Game called due to 10 run rule

W--Grossmann L--Armbruster

SECOND GAME

NEW ULM GOLD 000 021 0 --3 6 0

SLEEPY EYE 000 002 0 --2 3 1

W--Spelbrink L--Haala