Sleepy Eye hangs on for win

By RYAN GALVIN

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Brian Hertling led Sleepy Eye at the plate and at the mound to lead Sleepy Eye to a 10-7 win over St. James and sweep the series 3-0 to put Sleepy Eye in the Class C State Tournament.

At the plate, Hertling went 4-for-4 with two doubles and scored two runs. He was just as good on the mound as he went 8-plus innings, giving up four runs on six hits and striking out 11 to take the win.

Hertling may have had the all around game but Dean Brinkman had the hit to put the game just out of reach. Brinkman, who had struck out four times earlier in the game, went to the plate in the eighth inning with two outs and the bases loaded in a 6-2 ballgame. He crushed Frank Forstner's 3-2 pitch well over the left-center fence to put the Indians' lead at 10-2.

Kelly Krzmarzick and Hertling reached base to start the eighth inning. After a Jim Eckstein bunt Jon Beckius walked to load the bases. Bob Schmid single down the right field line scored two. The next batter, Jadon Witte single to load the bases again. One batter later, Cody Walter's lazy fly ball found the grass on an error by the right fielder. Brooks Deibele's strike out set the stage for Brinkman and he didn't let the opportunity slip away..

St. James didn't go down without a fight, though, as they put five runs on the board in the ninth inning. Singles by Dave Gray and Randy Helget to start the inning ended Hertling's day. The change didn't help much as the first batter that reliefer Brinkman faced, Jon Price, doubled off the right field fence to score Gray.

The next three batters all reached base. Justin Kaus and Brandon Olson singled and Frank Forstner reached on an error. Brinkman got two outs -- a strike out and a fielders choice -- to put the Indians one out away from the state tournament.

The A's battled to the last out , however, as they had the tying run on base, but Randy Helget grounded to shortstop, Bob Schmid and he tossed the ball to second base to end the game.

Brad Mathiowetz took the loss for St. James. He conceded five runs on seven hits in 7 1-3 innings. Forstner relieved him and allowed five runs in 2-3 of an inning.

Before the state tournament, Sleepy Eye has to play the New Ulm Brewers for the Region 2C championship 7:30 Sunday night at Johnson Park.

ST JAMES 001 000 105-- 7 13 4

SLEEPY EYE 010 101 07x-- 10 10 4