'Brewer inning' lifts New Ulm over Wolf Lake

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- They simply call it a "Brewer inning."

Corey Schaefer's lead-off double in the last of the seventh inning, his second two-bagger of the game, ignited a seven-run tally as the New Ulm Brewers defeated Wolf Lake 10-2 Sunday afternoon in the first round of the 2000 Class C state tournament.

Jeremy Wieland, who threw 151 pitches in the game, got the win for New Ulm (21-7). The righthander struck out 11 and allowed only four Wolf pack hits as he improved his personal record to 11-2. Both Wolf Lake's runs were unearned

Ryan Breitbach took the loss for Wolf Lake (20-8) giving up all 10 New Ulm runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Troy Kamm, Dan O'Brien, Chris Peters, Scott Schaefer, Tony Burt and Corey Schaefer each had two hits for New Ulm with Brad Weber, Peters and Corey Schaefer each driving in two runs.

New Ulm will now face Jackson at 5 p.m. Saturday in Fairfax.

"Jeremy pitched another strong game for us," said Brewer manager Bob Weber. "He seemed to have a little control problems as he walked more hitters today (four) than he had all season." Wieland averaged just under two walks per game during the season. "But he threw hard and got his fastball by their hitters all game."

New Ulm scored single runs in the first, second and fourth innings to take a 3-0 lead on the 'Pack as the right-handed Wieland allowed just one hit through five innings. That hit came on a two-out first inning single by Jeremy Kovash.

New Ulm scored runs on an RBI single by Chris Peters, a Corey Schaefer double and a wild pitch.

But in that sixth inning, Wolf Lake used an error to cut the New Ulm lead to 3-2.

After Dan O'Brien made a nice diving catch of a Ron Litzau line drive in right to record the first out of the inning, Shane Hendrickson reached when New Ulm shortstop Tony Burt let his ground ball go under his glove. Wieland issued a free pass to Ryan Breitbach before Kovash, who had two of the Wolf Pack's four hits, singled to center to plate Hendrickson. A Chris Baso two-out double brought in Breitbach and Wolf Lake was back in the game at 3-2.

Then came that "Brewer inning" as New Ulm calls it.

It started with Corey Schaefer's double at the top of the seventh inning.

"I was waiting for an outside pitch so I could drive it to right," he said .

Schaefer was among the Brewers making their first state tournament appearance.

"I know that I was nervous today. I know that there are a lot of (New Ulm) players who have been here before but I was nervous."

Schaefer's two bagger was followed by a Troy Kamm bunt single that put runners on first and third. Kamm moved to second on a stolen base and both scored on Brad Weber's 1-2 single to right field.

Dan O'Brien then slapped a slow roller that went between first and second to move Weber to third. An error on a Chris Peters' ground ball let Schaefer score and a sacrifice bunt by Terry Helget and ensuing error made it 7-2.

Dan Krzmarzick was issued an intentional walk to load the bases but a wild pitch and a Burt single made the score 9-2.

Greg Schmid came in and allowed a Corey Schaefer sacrifice fly that gave New Ulm its 10th run of the game.

That was more than enough for Wieland who did not mind the 151 pitches.

"We usually don't count pitches, but I can go until the ninth inning regardless," he said.

And he didn't doubt that the Brewers would respond to the challenge by Wolf Lake in that sixth inning. "We knew that we had to start playing ball," he said. "We may have been a little nervous, but I have had that state tournament experience with the Kaiserhoff."

Wieland also was happy with the run production.

"Those seven runs were huge for us, and Corey came through. You need that hitting in the bottom of the order ­ that keys your offense. Plus, our players all had some key hits today. And we had that 'Brewer inning.'"

WOLF LAKE 000-002-000=2-4-3

NEW ULM BREWERS 110-100-70X=10-13-3

WP:Jeremy Wieland. LP: Ryan Breitbach. 2B: C. Schaefer 2 (NU), Baso (WL).