Springfield slides by

By MICHAEL GASSETT, Journal Sports Writer

By MICHAEL GASSETT

Journal Sports Writer

GLENCOE - Jordan Milbrath will win a lot of games pitching the way he did Thursday against Sleepy Eye.

Conversely, Brett Ubl won't lose too many games pitching the way he did against Springfield.

Milbrath won a classic pitcher's duel striking out 11 on two hits as Springfield defeated Sleepy Eye 3-0 in the VFW Northwest Subdistrict in in Glencoe.

"It's a good feeling," Milbrath said. "The other pitcher did a good job too. The big thing was, I knew I had the defense behind me and I just went out and through strikes."

Springfield coach Brady Schwab said that's what playoff baseball is all about.

"You have two good pitcher matching up," he said. "It's a little tougher defensively than you would think. You have to make plays and there aren't a whole lot of plays to make. But when you have them you have to make them."

Ubl pitched good enough to win but ended up with the hard-luck loss. He allowed just three hits while striking out 10.

"His curveball was working and he got the hitters off balance," Sleepy Eye coach Dusty Mangen said. "Ubl pitched as good as we could ask him too."

Milbrath set down 13 of the first 15 batters he faced and he didn't allow a hit until two were down in the fourth inning.

Meanwhile, Ubl set down nine of the first 10 batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning when Dan Christensen doubled with one out and then Bill Krueger followed with a single.

That's when things got interesting. On the next pitch to Milbrath, Krueger broke for second. Sleepy Eye catcher Josh Kopacek threw to second and Christensen ran home on Kopacek's throw, giving Springfield a 1-0 lead. Krueger advanced to third on the play and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Springfield added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Krueger led off with a single, advanced to second when Milbrath reached on an error and moved to third on a second error. Krueger scored on Dusty Henrichs' sacrifice fly to left to make it 3-0.

"We manufactured runs," Schwab said. "We took advantage of some things on the basepaths. We stole a couple of bases and we were able to capitalize on the few mistakes they made."

Sleepy Eye had its chances but couldn't get a run to score. Kopacek walked, Ubl reached on an error and Alan Huiras walked to load the bases. But Milbrath got out of the jam by striking out Adam Sellner to end the threat.

In the seventh, Sleepy Eye had two runners on but failed to score.

"We had runners in scoring position and not getting that run kind of deflated us," Mangen said. "That was our one chance and you don't get too many chances against a good pitcher like that. When you do you have to capitalize."

Scott Salfer and Caleb Hillesheim each had a hit for Sleepy Eye.

Sleepy Eye (6-11) will play the loser between Dassel and Hutchinson at 4 p.m. today in Glencoe.

Krueger was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Christensen had the other hit and the other run. Henrichs had an RBI.

Springfield (13-5) will play the winner between Dassel and Hutchinson at 9 a.m. Saturday in Glencoe.

"This gives our pitchers an extra day of rest and players a little bit of down time," Schwab said. "This time of year it doesn't so much come down to matchups as much as executing your brand of baseball. If you do that you usually give yourself a chance to win."