Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Minnesota Valley Lutheran's Connor Board (1) prepares to tag during the second game of a Tomahawk Conference baseball doubleheader Tuesday at Mueller Park in New Ulm. Caleb Forstner (3) of New Ulm Cathedral attempts to steal second base.
NEW ULM — New Ulm Cathedral had solid pitching in the first game and a late rally in the second game Wednesday in a Tomahawk Conference baseball doubleheader against Minnesota Valley Lutheran University at Mueller Park. We won by a landslide.
In the first game, Greyhounds right-hander Colin Anderson had five hits in a 2-0 victory. In Game 2, Cathedral (9-3, 8-3) won 4-3 on his three-run hit in the bottom of the fourth.
“We had two great wins today.” Cathedral head coach Alan Wojtas said. “Their pitchers kept us off balance in both games. But today, we got some well-timed hits with two outs.
“I think we scored all six runs today with two outs, but both of those rallies came after two outs. So credit to the kids for honing their at-bats and finding ways to force runners. Believe please.”
Chargers head coach Jim Bubolz felt his team was getting closer after watching it fall to 5-8 overall and 4-7 overall.
Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm Cathedral's Rylan Koopman, 8, slides home against Minnesota during the second game of a Tomahawk Conference baseball doubleheader Wednesday at Mueller Park in New Ulm. -Breaked the tag of Valley Lutheran University catcher Kayden Peterson.
“We have to make that play.” Bubolz said. “And so far we haven't been able to do that. We need to press the key once. It's a shame that we did that in the second game too and gave it right back to them defensively. ”
Anderson had 10 strikeouts and five hits in the first game.
Bradin Kube was the losing pitcher in the MVL. He allowed five hits and had five strikeouts.
Logan Mielke had three hits for Cathedral.
Kube had two hits for the Chargers.
The Greyhounds' scoring in the game came in the top of the sixth inning, with two outs and no earned runs.
After Brock Wellman singled to left, Mielke hit his third single of the game to center field.
Elliott Chabert's grounder in the infield resulted in an error, allowing Wellman to score. He conceded the second goal with a balk.
“We are hurting ourselves.” Bubolz said. “I told the team that we are our own worst enemies now.”
The Chargers also had nine runners on base in the game, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning.
“Once you put a player on base, you have to stay calm and put the bat on the ball.” Bubolz said.
In Game 2, the Chargers erased Cathedral's 1-0 lead with three runs in the top of the fourth inning.
However, the Greyhounds answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning and won 4-3.
Cathedral got the win with Caleb Forstner pitching four innings. Jake Finstad recorded the save.
The Chargers lost Josh Vander Plas.
Cathedral rallied in the bottom of the first inning on Anderson's single and scored on Levi Franta's single to take a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Chargers scored three runs and took the lead for the first time that day.
Connor Board and Kayden Peterson had singles.
Both advanced with double steals, then Kube's single plate board scored. Vander Plas hit a two-run double to give MVL a 3-1 lead.
Cathedral counterattacked by scoring three points of their own after two outs.
Wellman singled and Mielke dropped a boop single to center field.
Chabert's double scored two points and tied the game.
Joey Schugel then scored the winning goal.
“I was very happy to see that kind of reaction.” Wojtas said. “They put together a great inning, but we came back and got the momentum back to the team and Jake did a great job. After the loss to Sleepy Eye, it was nice to come back and get two wins. [wins] Win the week today. ”
Bubolz said the team is a better team now, despite losing the game.
The Chargers will play Wabasso on Monday and the Greyhounds will face Mankato Loyola on Tuesday.
Both games start at 5 p.m.
