Staff photo by Jeremy Behnke New Ulm VFW Gold’s Nolan Drill singles in the first inning of the Second District playoff game against Chaska Saturday at Johnson Park.

NEW ULM — When New Ulm VFW Gold pounded out four hits and scored three runs in the top of the first inning in their Second District elimination game against Shakopee Saturday afternoon, it looked like New Ulm had found its bats after just four hits in its earlier game in a 9-3 loss to Chaska.

But Gold could only muster four more hits in the next six innings — all singles — as Shakopee came back with seven unanswered runs and eliminated New Ulm 7-3.

Jacob Schmidt got the win for Shakopee going four innings.

Teddy Giefer took the season-ending loss for Gold, who finished the season at 27-9.

Tom Bazzare, Wilson Mack and Jackson Toenges each had two hits for Shakopee.

Nolan Drill had two hits for Gold with Giefer driving in two runs.

Shakopee now meets Chaska at noon on Sunday at Johnson Park for the Second District title. Shakopee has to defeat Chaska twice to win the championship.

“We took the early lead and tried to hang in there but we just could not hold (the lead),” coach Mike Munce said. “We lost our intensity after that first inning and did not put them away.”

Gold scored three times in the first inning on infield singles from Teagan Kamm and Mason Cox before Tony Geiger drove in Kamm for a 1-0 lead.

Giefer made it 3-0 when he followed with a single to right to score both Cox and Geiger.

But after that, Gold’s offense went cold as they were held to one single in the next three innings.

They did threaten in the sixth when they loaded the bases with two outs but failed to score.

Shakopee erased the 3-0 New Ulm lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Bazzare led off with a double and Gavin Stadler walked. A Wilson Mack single loaded the bases before Jackson Toenges singled in Bazzare and end Giefer’s day.

Drill, who was pitching in relief, later walked Zach Winterfelt to force in a run.

After Drill struck out the next two batters, Jaymeson Unger hit a ground ball to shortstop Cole Ranweiler whose throw got by first baseman Tony Geiger allowing two runs to score.

Shakopee then added three more runs in the fifth to seal the game and end New Ulm’s season.

“These are good teams here,” Munce said. “The hits today were the same (eight each) but they got theirs later in the game.

“This was a great year,” Munce said. “I felt that this team was better and could have went further but that is why we play the game. We had a lot of good experiences. It was a fun year.”