Las Vegas holds off NU Gold

NEW ULM - Las Vegas lefthander Matt Klein allowed just two hits while striking out seven as the Lions scored two runs in the fifth inning to come away with a 2-0 win over New Ulm Gold Friday night in the Upper Midwest Classic.

Klein issued one walk and allowed just one New Ulm baserunner to reach third base in the game.

Kyle Fischer held the hard-hitting Las Vegas squad to just six hits while fanning four. He walked four - one of which eventually turned into a run.

Scott #Berke and Jake Hager each had two hits for Las Vegas with Berke and Andrew Garcia each driving in a run.

"Kyle (Fischer) pitched a great game against a good hitting team," New Ulm coach Doug Radloff said. "The pitcher that we faced (Klein) was their No. 2 pitcher - he is a college pitcher - and he threw a fantastic game. He is the best pitcher that we have seen all season."

New Ulm looked like it was going to get an early lead off of Klein and Las Vegas in the bottom of the first inning.

Jon Suess drilled a line shot to the gap in right-center field. But as Suess rounded second on his way to third, he stumbled and was gunned down at third on a perfect relay throw to third by second baseman Andrew Garcia.

That was New Ulm's only real threat until the sixth inning when Taylor Rolloff fanned and reached first on a passed ball to start the inning.

Rolloff took second on a Suess groundout and scampered to third on an errant pick-off throw at second by Klein. But Klein coaxed Nate VanRoekel to groundout to end the threat.

Las Vegas coach Levi Gill said that Klein did a great job in getting the shutout.

"He threw a lot of strikes and kept the ball down," Gill said. "He did not give up a lot of hits and our defense played well behind him."

As did New Ulm's defense which turned three double plays in the game to stop potential Las Vegas scoring chances.

In the second inning, Jake Hager slapped a one-out double and Brooks Klein walked. But Fischer got Matt Holman to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Gold turned a second twin-killing in the fourth. Chuck Holland led off with a base hit and Brooks Klein drew another one-out walk.

But Fischer once again got Holman to ground into an inning-ending double play, this one going 4-6-3.

"We do not have a ton of team speed," Gill said. "If he hit the groundballs, we will run into the double plays."

New Ulm's third double play came when Hager singled to start the sixth and after one out, Holman lined into his third double play of the game when he hammered a line shot to Zach Fischer at first who stepped on the bag to end the inning.

Radloff and New Ulm Gold now face two must-win games today when it plays Oakdale at 1 p.m. and then Escanaba, Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Both games are at Johnson Park.

"We have two tough games Saturday and then against Sleepy Eye and Mankato during the week," Radloff said. "Then we go to the Gopher Classic (next weekend) and play Tri-City Red, Maple Grove, Papillion, Nebraska and Anheuser-Busch from St. Louis, Missouri."

Las Vegas is also in the Gopher Classic next weekend.