NU Brewers back to winning ways

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Brewers lost their first two games of the Region 2C round robin playoffs, so in order to avoid knocking themselves out of state tournament contention, the Brewers knew they had to get one back.

New Ulm defeated Fairfax 3-0 Wednesday at Johnson Park and took advantage of four Cardinals miscues as the Brewers improved to 1-2 in tournament play, while Fairfax slipped to 0-3.

"We had to win," Brewers coach Chris Peters said. "We knew coming into this game we had to win. There's a good chance we can make it coming out of the region. We had to give it everything we had to win the game."

Ryan Walters pitched eight innings to get the win for the Brewers (20-8). Walters left the game in the top of the ninth having surrendered a lead-off hit to Adam Bemmels.

But Tom Steinbach came in to get a double play, walked a batter, then struck out Ryan Jacobsen to end the game.

"Tom has been around the program for quite a few years," Peters said. "It's nice to have him on our squad this year to come in and shut teams down like that in the ninth inning to give us the wins."

Walters allowed seven hits and struck out eight. He got out of some jams, including a bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning. Fairfax stranded 11 runners.

"Ryan threw a good game," Peters said. "He hasn't thrown many innings this year, but he threw a great game, and give the credit to Ryan for keeping the guys off the bases and to get out of the jams that he did."

Milroy draftee Nate Deutz took the loss for Fairfax. He went eight innings, allowing eight hits. He struck out one.

The Brewers had to play small ball in order to manufacture the runs they did. Corey Schaefer scored the game's first run in the third after he singled and took second on an error. The Brewers caught a break after Troy Kamm's sac bunt attempt was thrown away for the first run of the game.

Steinbach led off the fourth with a hit and took second on Travis Thorson's sac bunt. Steinbach later scored on a wild pitch for the second run. New Ulm tacked on one run after Steinbach again scored for the final 3-0 margin.

Troy Kamm went 2-for-3 while Steinbach reached three times. Blair Folkens walked three times for Fairfax and Bemmels had three hits.

New Ulm looks to continue its winning streak when it travels to Granite Falls at 8 p.m, while Fairfax plays an away game with Essig at 8 p.m. at Sleepy Eye Thursday.

FAIRFAX -- 000 000 000 -- 0 7 4

NEW ULM -- 001 100 01X -- 3 8 0

WP -- Walters. LP -- Deutz. 2B -- T. Hoffmann, L. Rathmann