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Legion Gold tops Fairmont

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm Legion Gold’s Hunter Ranweiler (center) is congratulated by teammate Jace Marotz (22) after his inside-the-park home run against Fairmont Wednesday at Mueller Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — It was just another day at the office for New Ulm Legion Gold in their Sub-State 2 American Legion game against Fairmont Wednesday night at Mueller Park.

Gold used three, three-run innings and a two-hit pitching performance from righthander Cole Backer as Gold opened with a 10-0 win over Fairmont.

The game was stopped after six innings because of the 10-run rule.

Backer fanned six and walked two. He only allowed two Post 36 players to get as far as second base in the game.

Dalen Keltgen took the loss for Fairmont. He went four innings and was charged with seven runs.

Jaden Domeier, Josh Seidl, Hunter Ranweiler and Chris Knowles each had two hits.

Ranweiler had an inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning that scored three runs. Domeier added a triple with Braden Zimmerman doubling.

Ranweiler and Knowles each had three RBIs.

New Ulm, now 27-4, meets Jordan at 1 p.m. Thursday at Mueller Park.

For Gold and coach Chris Peters, it was a case of starting flat but picking it up as the game went along.

“We came out when we needed and got some key hits,” Peters said. “We came out flat but we got it going.”

New Ulm took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Mason Cox singled and Colton Schaefer reached on an outfield error. Cox scored later on a passed ball.

Fairmont got its only real scoring threat of the game in the top of the third when Jack Hestad and Zach Jorgenson had back-to-back singles. But Jordan Wolter grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Those were the only Post 36 hits in the game.

Gold made it 4-0 in the bottom of the inning when Domeier and Seidl walked and Ranweiler reached on a bunt single to load the bases.

A Zimmerman double scored two runs before Ranweiler scored on a Knowles’ groundout.

Gold upped the lead to 7-0 in the fourth. Schaefer singled and took second on a wild pitch.

Seidl drew his second walk of the game.

Ranweiler followed with a line drive to deep center and over the head of center fielder Cale Steuber and rolled to the base of the fence for a inside-the-park home run.

“Hunter has hit the ball well all year for us,” Peters said. “He hits the ball hard every at-bat. And anytime you can score three runs an inning, that helps.”

And Backer continued his strong mound performances moving his record to 3-1 on the year and dropping his ERA from 1.35.

“He has pitched some big games for us and I feel confident in him — he has done a tremendous job for us,” Peters said.

Peters said he will send Mark Schommer to the mound against Jordan on Thursday.

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