Kaiserhoff falls on Saturday

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- The New Ulm Kaiserhoff saw its 2000 season end Saturday night at the hands of the St. Michael Saints, falling 23-19 in a game that saw two State Tournament records fall.

Cory Ranweiler, the second of five pitchers used by New Ulm, took the loss as the "K" finished its season with a 25-9 mark.

The two records which fell in this game were most home runs by two teams (11) and most runs score in one game (39). St. Michael hit four home runs, two by Hutchinson draftee Mike Marquardt while the Kaiserhoff blasted eight dingers with Ryan Ellwein and Brian Raabe each hitting one while Brad Keenan, Tom Steinbach and Ryan Sauter each connected for two roundtrippers.

Steinbach drove in five runs while Raabe, Sauter and Keenan had three RBI each. Brad Keenan';s home run was estimated at 450 feet.

New Ulm fell behind 9-3 after 2 1/3 innings with the Kaiserhoff's three runs coming on an Ellwein lead-off home run in the first and RBI doubles by Ellwein and Tom Steinbach in the third.

St. Michael scored three runs in the fourth before New Ulm pushed seven runs across in the bottom of the inning.

Three of those runs came on a Ryan Sauter home run. Tom Steinbach's two-run blast and another towering two-run home run by Keenan, a 450-foot shot, gave New Ulm a 10-8 lead.

The Saints matched that with seven runs in the top of the fifth, with New Ulm coming back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. A Sauter solo home run and another two-run shot by Steinbach pulled the "K" to within 16-13.

New Ulm trailed 23-14 in the ninth before scoring five times with Raabe belting a three-run home run.

ST. MICHAEL 150-375-110-=23-24-3

KAISERHOFF 102-731-005=19-18-3