Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm Legion Gold’s Jaden Drill slides into home during a DI Sub-State 2 Legion Baseball Tournament game with Mankato National on Thursday at Johnson Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — In a game that saw New Ulm Gold finish with just two hits and Mankato National just three, it was Gold that took advantage of their two hits.

Gold also took advantage of two National errors and three hit batters to score four runs as they blanked National 4-0 Thursday morning in the winner’s bracket of the DI, Sub-State 2 American Legion Baseball Tournament at Johnson Park.

Jaden Drill got the complete-game win for Gold (13-8-1). He scattered three National hits and struck out five in the shutout performance for third-seeded New Ulm.

Mason DuRose took the loss for the second-seeded Mankato National. He went six innings and gave up two runs — one unearned. Andrew Scourbys pitched the seventh inning and gave up two unearned runs.

New Ulm Gold now faces top-seeded Mankato American Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Johnson Park.

For Gold coach Curt Forbrook, it was a second straight stellar pitching performance in as many days.

“Jaden pitched a fabulous game and I can tell that the kids get up behind him. They play some defense behind him,” Forbrook said as Gold played errorless ball behind the right-hander. “It worked out great.”

Gold, who had split with National in the regular season, used one of their two hits in the game and the first of two National errors to take a 1-0 lead.

Jace Schaefer legged out an infield single and reached second on a wild pitch. A Drill groundout moved him to third.

An error on a Kaden Larson grounder allowed Larson to reach first and Schaefer to score.

New Ulm plated a second run in the fourth with their second hit of the game.

Larson was hit by a pitch and sacrificed to second by Ethan Thompson.

Josh Giefer’s double to the gap in right-center brought in Larson for a 2-0 lead.

“We made the most of our hits today,” Forbrook said. “We did not get a lot of them, but when we did get them we used them.”

Gold also took advantage of three hit batters and the second National error for two more runs.

Scourbys hit Luke Suess and Schaefer with pitches and walked Drill to load the bases before a throwing error added two more insurance runs for Drill.

“We seem to be a team that takes advantage of other peoples miscues,” Forbrook said. “We have been very fortunate, but we have also made our own luck, too. And our defense has been solid all year.

“Our team [has] a bunch grinders and gamers when we play the tougher competition. It seems like they step up their game a little bit.”