In addition to committing six errors, the Sleepy Eye bats were also quieted by Hutchinson starting pitcher Graydon Rostberg as Hutchinson earned a 3-0 win in the first round of the District 2 VFW Baseball Tournament at Sleepy Eye Ballpark.

Braulick, who finished with 101 pitches, took the loss in six innings, allowing three hits and five walks for three runs, one earned, while striking out one.

Braulick also had one of Sleepy Eye’s two hits, a double, while his catcher Kyle Nelson had the other on a triple.

Hutchinson didn’t have too much more success at the plate as it finished with just four hits, but timely hitting and patience at the plate did it well. Rostberg’s complete-game performance was also key as he struck out 10 while allowing two hits and three walks on 106 pitches.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Sleepy Eye VFW’s Kyle Nelson celebrates a triple during a first-round District 2 VFW Baseball Tournament game against Hutchinson on Friday night at Sleepy Eye Ballpark.

“Their pitcher threw a heck of a game,” Sleepy Eye VFW head coach Alex Bruggemann said. “He kept us off-balance, we had a number of strikeouts, which I said today to the guys that our bats just didn’t quite show up the way that we would want for a first-round game here.”

No. 5-seeded Hutchinson moves on in the winners bracket to play top-seeded New Ulm VFW Silver at 3 p.m. Saturday, while fourth-seeded Sleepy Eye will take on No. 2-seeded Mankato American VFW at 1 p.m. Saturday. American dropped a 5-4 game to third-seeded Marshall VFW Orange earlier in the day Friday. All District 2 tournament games will continue in Sleepy Eye on Saturday and Sunday, concluding with the championship game Monday.

Hutchinson got its first run of the game in the third when an error allowed the leadoff man, Trayton Kottke, to reach safely and take second. A pop out followed for the first out, but a single by Rostberg on a liner to left made it 1-0.

It became a 2-0 game in the fourth. After back-to-back walks to Matson Alvey and Ben Schroeder started the inning, a fielder’s choice allowed Kottke to reach and advance Alvey to third while Schroeder was forced out at second. A groundout by Conner Erlandson scored Alvey for the 2-0 Hutchinson lead.

Hutchinson added an insurance run in the seventh on a single to center by Ethan Block that scored Rostberg from third. Block was caught out at second trying to take an extra base on the hit for Hutchinson’s final out.

Jaxon Saenz pitched that seventh for Sleepy Eye in relief after an error and a walk put two on to start the inning. After taking over on the mound for Braulick, Saenz forced a grounder to third baseman Brecken Hulke, who stepped on third and fired the ball to first baseman Ethan Schwartz to finish a double play.

“We haven’t seen Hutch all year, but credit to their pitcher,” Bruggemann said. “He threw a heck of a game, and then credit our pitcher as well. Adam threw a complete outing, which was good to see, but defensively, we didn’t make the plays that we need to in a tight game like that. That’s ultimately the deciding factor in this one, but credit to both pitchers.”

Having six errors to Hutchinson’s error-free game, it wasn’t the type of game Bruggemann expected from his squad in the playoffs, where the routine plays need to be made.

“I know the guys were pretty fired up going into it, maybe some nerves were there, but I think that was the most errors we’ve had in a game all year,” Bruggemann said. “And when our pitchers are struggling in an inning and we get a ground ball, we need to help him out, and because that pitch count, that goes into consideration and he’s got to throw extra pitches then. Having six errors and only two hits, it’s tough to win any baseball game.”

Sleepy Eye will look to bounce back and keep its season going against Mankato American on Saturday. The winner of that game moves on to a 1:30 p.m. elimination game Sunday to play the loser of the New Ulm Silver-Hutchinson game. The elimination bracket finals take place at 4 p.m. Sunday.