Kaiserhoff steps it up in playoffs

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- When playoffs start in baseball, many times the fortunes of a team are determined if a player does or does not step up his game.

Wednesday night, New Ulm Kaiserhoff's Brady Ranweiler stepped up. And the rest of the team followed.

Ranweiler singled and followed that with two doubles and drove in four runs as the "K" opened Section 4B playoffs with a 7-3 win over Green Isle at Johnson Park.

Ryan Wellmann scattered six hits and struck out five in getting the complete game win. Game 2 is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Green Isle, with a possible third game at Johnson Park at 7:30 p.m Sunday.

Jace Marti matched Ranweiler's night with three hits, including a double, and Keith McClellan and Cory Ranweiler each added two hits.

Mark Herd started and took the pitching loss for the Irish, allowing seven runs in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Mac Zachow smacked a two-run home run for Green Isle.

But it was the quick start by the Kaiserhoff -- a 4-0 lead after three innings -- that propelled the "K" to the win.

"I wanted to lead by example," Ranweiler said. "I try to hustle every play and do the little extra things to lead these young guys. I know that when I was young, you needed someone to lead by example."

Six of the starters for the Kaiserhoff in the win over Green Isle played American Legion Baseball in New Ulm last year.

New Ulm scored twice in the bottom of the first inning off of the right-handed Mike Herd when McClellan singled and Jeff Dolan reached on an error. A Cory Ranweiler sacrifice bunt moved both runners up before Brady Ranweiler delivered a two-run single.

"It was nice to score a couple of runs in the first inning," Brady Ranweiler said. "I think that getting that lead cut the tension in our dugout."

New Ulm added single runs in the second and third innings. In the second, Marti laced a two-out single and scored when McClellan followed with a triple to center field.

Cory Ranweiler's leadoff single in the third and the first of two doubles by Brady Ranweiler upped the lead to 4-0.

"He [Brady] has really been hitting the ball," manager Dick Wellmann said. "Tonight was a prime example of basically what your leader on the team should do."

The Irish cut the lead to 4-1 in the fifth on a two-base throwing error, a single and a fielder's choice before the Kaiserhoff scored three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Cory Ranweiler singled and scored on Brady Ranweiler's second double. A groundout and an error scored Brady Ranweiler. It became 7-1 when Derik Johnson reached on an error and came home on Jace Marti's base hit.

"Jace has been hitting the ball well the last half of the season and I was also glad to see Keith McClellan get going, because we need him on base."

"Getting that kind of a lead on Green Isle puts a lot of pressure on them and allows us to give up a run or two and still have a lead," Wellmann said.

Green Isle added two runs in the top of the fifth on an error and a two-run home run to right field by Mac Zachow.

"Ryan was not particularly sharp but he hung in there and got a ground ball when he needed it," manager Dick Wellmann said. "We know that this series is far from over -- Green Isle lost their first playoff game to Waseca and came back to win two straight."

Wellmann said that he will start Bob Wellmann on Saturday.

GREEN ISLE 000 012 000 -- 3 6 3

KAISERHOFF 211 030 00X -- 7 11 2