NEW ULM - Wayzata defeated New Ulm VFW Gold 3-1 Sunday to take the championship of the Junior Upper Midwest Classic at Johnson Park.
New Ulm VFW Gold pitcher Chase Meyer took the pitching loss.
Wayzata scored two runs in the first two innings. Connor Trygstad laced an RBI triple in the first inning and then later scored on a passed ball. Trygstad also got the pitching win for Wayzata. He allowed three New Ulm hits and struck out two.
Article Photos
Staff photo by Steve Muscatello
Wayzata shortstop Mickey Leius catches the ball as New Ulm VFW Gold’s Jackson Yackley slides into second during the championship game of the Junior Upper Midwest Classic Sunday at Johnson Park in New Ulm. Wayzata won the game 3-1.
Meyer permitted four hits and struck out seven.
Will Beeninga led Wayzata with two hits. Trygstad and Joe Silbaugh each had a triple.
Meyer, Brach Kraus and Jackson Yackley had hits for New Ulm.
"Wayzata is a very good team," said New Ulm coach David Schoen. "They have a lot of good hitters in their line-up. We had our chances offensively as well. We are a team that likes to put men in motion when we get them on base - bunt, steal and hit-and-run. But we did not have much of an opportunity to do that today."
Wayzata took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with two runs after two were out.
Jack Sorenson drew a walk off Meyer before Trygstad drove a triple to right field to score Sorenson. Trygstad then scored on that passed ball.
"Chase left a fastball right down the middle of the plate belt-high," said Schoen about the pitch to Trygstad. "And at this level he did what you are supposed to do with those pitches. Then we had the yips on that passed ball."
VFW Gold mounted a minor threat in the top of the third when Jarin Spence scored on an error to start the inning. A wild pitch put Spence at second before Wyatt Peterson's bunt moved him to third.
But Trygstad retired Judd Davis on a line drive to second to end the inning.
New Ulm sliced the lead to 2-1 in the next inning.
Meyer stroked a one-out single, and Grant Kannegiesser was safe on an error to place runners on first and second with one out.
Meyer came home on a fielder's choice, but Trygstad got Spence to ground out to first.
Wayzata collected its other two hits in the fourth inning when Will Beeninga led off with a single and raced home on a triple to right field by Joe Silbaugh.
New Ulm mounted another scoring threat in the sixth inning by putting two runners on base with two outs. But Trygstad ended the inning by getting Tanner Kluis on a pop-out.
Schoen praised Meyer's efforts on the mound.
"He pitched very well," Schoen said. "I did not plan on letting him go that long, but he kept telling me he was feeling good. And they were really not doing anything to him. He only allowed four hits - he did a fantastic job."
New Ulm VFW Gold plays Friday in the Perham Tournament.
New Ulm advanced to the title game with a 5-1 win over Hutchinson. Kluis got the pitching win. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed four hits.
Grant Kannegiesser led New Ulm with three hits. Spence and Collin Helget each collected two hits.
Yackley had a triple for New Ulm.