File Photo New Ulm VFW Noah Hauge lays down a bunt during a recent game at Johnson Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — Sleepy Eye Post 800 scored single runs in the first and second innings, and righthander Nick Labat made those two runs hold up, as Sleepy Eye captured the Northwest Subdistrict championship by blanking New Ulm VFW Gold 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Johnson Park.

New Ulm had forced a second game when they defeated Sleepy Eye 7-1 earlier in the day.

Labat got the complete game win as he fanned three.

T. J. Sweere took the loss for New Ulm. Sweere also went the distance allowing six hits and striking out three.

Both teams advance to the Second District Tournament beginning Thursday at Franklin Rogers Field in Mankato.

Sleepy Eye plays at 11:30 a.m. against the runner-up of the Southwest Subdistrict which is either Wells or Blue Earth, while Gold takes on the winner of that sub-district at 7 p.m.

Mat Sellner had two hits for Post 800, with Labat and Luke Mielke each driving in a run.

Jaden Domeier and Teagan Kamm each had two hits for New Ulm.

“I was telling our team after this game that our first game was not a true indicator of who we are as a team,” said Post 800 coach Brandon Streich. “We came out flat and lethargic but we bounced back in this game, got a lead right away and held it.”

New Ulm coach Mike Munce said that his team did not get the hits at the right time.

“We were only down 2-0 after two innings, and this team is capable of putting up a lot of runs in a hurry,” he said. “Being behind did not affect us — we just could not get it going in the second game.”

A lot of that had to do with Labat’s performance on the mound.

New Ulm had scoring threats in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings but could not get that key hit.

Sleepy Eye plated a run in the first when Labat walked and Landon Strong singled. Labat later came home on a fielder’s choice.

Post 800 scored their second run one inning later when Matt Sellner and Kyle Domeier laced one-out singles. Labat helped his own cause with an RBI infield single.

After that, Sweere held Post 800 to just two hits on singles in the fifth and sixth innings.

Gold threatened in the fourth inning when Alex Hillesheim singled and Josh Seidl reached on a two-out error. But Labat retired Teddy Giefer on a fly out to rightfield.

New Ulm threatened in the sixth on a fielder’s choice and a Sweere infield single. But again Labat bore down and retired Seidl on a groundout.

New Ulm went down swinging in the seventh on two out base hits from Teagan Kamm and Jaden Domeier. But Labat retired Mason Cox to end the game.

“Nick did a good job of holding that lead,” said Streich. “And we responded real well after that first game loss. We have not lost consecutive games all year. We are mentally tough.”

New Ulm forced game two thanks to the right arm of Nolan Drill who allowed a run and three hits in the first inning and then held them hitless for the next five innings. Drill fanned four in the win. Mark Schommer pitched the seventh.

Jacob Berg took the loss for Post 800.

Jaden Domeier and Braden Zimmermann each had three hits for New Ulm. Alex Hillesheim added two hits. Zimmermann drove in three runs.