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New Ulm nips Braves in tourney tune up
Waseca will have to beat defending state champ to keep season alive
By DALE KUGATH
Scoop Sports Editor
WASECA - the New Ulm Kaiserhoff pushed across a two-out run in the 11th inning to edge the Waseca Braves 3-2 in the regular season finale at Waseca July 31.
The loss proved tough in more ways than one.
Not only was the defeat the third in a row for the Braves, and their fourth in the last five games, but it matches Waseca against defending state champ Mankato in the best-of-three series in Section 4B.
Waseca finished its regular season with a 13-12 record.
New Ulm, which won the first meeting between the two teams 12-2 in eight innings, will be squared up against Marshall in the section's first round.
The Kaiserhoff grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning. A walk, hit batter and Mielke single put New Ulm on top.
Waseca took a 2-1 lead in the third inning. Andrew Beckmann was hit by a pitch and Bryan Murphy beat out a bunt single, Waseca's first hit of the game.
Chris Glynn sacrificed the runners ahead. Beckmann came home on a Kelvin Nelson infield single and Murphy scored on a wild pitch.
The Kaiserhoff tied the game 2-2 in the sixth inning on an infield single, a walk, a bunt single and a fielder's choice.
It remained tied until the NU 11th. After Nelson retired the first two hitters, Starke doubled and Marti followed with a base hit.
Waseca's only chance to score other than the two-run third inning was the 10th inning.
Chad Hollerud singled, was sacrificed to second and took third on a wild pitch. But, Steve Hovland struck out and Scott Kaminski lined to shortstop.
Bob Wellman hurled the first nine innings for the Kaiserhoff. He gave up three hits and two earned runs, handed out two walks, hit a batter and struck out seven.
Mielke got the win with two innings of scoreless relief. He gave up one hit and fanned three.
Murphy, Hollerud, Nelson and Scott Hanson had the only Brave hits. Of the four Waseca hits, two were infield singles and another a bunt single.
Nelson pitched all 11 innings for the Braves, falling to 4-4 for the year. He gave up nine hits and three earned runs, issued seven walks, hit three batters and struck out 12.
Mielke, Erik Austvold and Ben Wolf all had two hits for the Kaiserhoff.
Brady Ranweiler and Marti both walked twice.
NU did not make an error in the field and stranded 16 base runners.
Waseca made one fielding miscue and stranded two runners.
The loss means the Braves will tangle with the Mankato Twins in a best-of-three series in Section 4B. The Twins have defeated Waseca 15-1 and 14-4 this season.
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