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VFW Gold cruises past Mapleton

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm VFW Gold starting pitcher Teddy Giefer delivers a pitch during New Ulm’s win against Mapleton Friday at Johnson Park.

NEW ULM — Outside of a fifth-inning speed bump, it was a smooth ride for New Ulm VFW Gold in their Second District game with Mapleton Friday afternoon at Johnson Park.

Cole Ranweiler went 4 for 5 and New Ulm raced to a comfortable 8-0 lead after four innings and later went on to down Mapleton 11-3.

Matt Rieger got the win in relief. He took over for starter Teddy Giefer in the fourth inning and allowed three unearned runs and just two hits.

Giefer went the first three innings and did not allow a run.

Colin Bremer took the loss for Mapleton. He was charged with seven runs in three innings of work.

Nolan Drill, Tony Geiger and Giefer each added two hits for Gold as they outhit Mapleton 12-7. Ranweiler and Giefer each had three RBIs.

The win moves New Ulm to a noon meeting Saturday with Chaska at Johnson Park in the winner’s bracket.

“We played solid, did our job and are moving on, “ Gold coach Mike Munce said.

And for the most part, Gold did that as in six of the seven innings, New Ulm played errorless ball.

The only Mapleton runs in the game came in the fifth inning when New Ulm was guilty of two errors that extended a Mapleton inning for three unearned runs.

Munce said that his team, with an 8-0 lead, may have relaxed a little bit and tried to coast to a win.

“We talked about it, refocused and got it done,” he said.

New Ulm added three runs in the first inning when Ranweiler led off with a single and swiped second, one of seven steals of second in the game for New Ulm. Teagan Kamm and Drill walked to load the bases.

A fielder’s choice scored the first run before Geifer helped his own cause with a two-run double.

Gold added two more runs in the second inning on a walk, an error and two balks for a 5-0 lead.

A walk, two errors and a third balk added two more runs in the third before an error scored a run in the fourth for a comfortable 8-0 lead.

After two Gold errors in the fifth saw Mapleton get on the board, but New Ulm countered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Jackson Bode singled to left and hustled to third on an error. Ranweiler drove a triple to right that scored Bode. Ranweiler came home on a wild pitch before singles from Nolan Drill and Geiger and an error added two more runs.

“This team is focused and ready, “ Munce said. “We are ready to go.”

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