Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm Junior Legion’s Colin Forstner delivers a pitch during the opening round of the DI Sub-State G Junior Legion Baseball Tournament against Hutchinson Wednesday at Mankato East High School.

MANKATO — The No. 1-seeded New Ulm Junior Legion Gold stayed tough as they scraped by with a 3-2 win over Hutchinson in the opening round of the Sub-State G Junior Legion Baseball Tournament Wednesday at Mankato East High School.

“I think our compete is pretty consistent,” New Ulm head coach Mike Anderson said. “We don’t roll over, even when we’re down in a game, which we have been a few times. We just stay competing, we play sound defense, and we’ve got enough pitchers that throw strikes and give us a chance, and that was tonight.”

Pitcher Colin Forstner exemplified the win for New Ulm, allowing three walks and two hits in a two-run first inning, but staying strong for the rest of the game, allowing one hit, two walks and no runs for the remaining six innings. Colin Forstner also recorded six strikeouts in the game.

“I think he had four walks in the first two innings and he was at 57 pitches after two innings,” Anderson said. “Then he goes complete game, throws 30 pitches in five innings. He just really settled in and dominated. Couldn’t be more proud of him.”

At the plate for New Ulm, Alex Portner was 2 for 3 with a run scored, while Mitchell Hopp and Josh Forstner were each 2 for 3. Evan Blekestad had a hit, two RBIs and a run scored, while Levi Hopp had a hit and an RBI. Hunter Larson added a hit and a run scored.

After Hutchinson’s two-run top of the first, New Ulm struck back in the bottom of the inning. Portner and Larson singled to lead off, then Blekestad hit a line drive to left field to score both runners.

New Ulm scored again in the third inning, with Blekestad reaching and advancing to second on an error. Levi Hopp capitalized on the mistake with a single, bringing Blekestad home. New Ulm loaded up the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but a strikeout ended the inning without a score.

Hutchinson threatened to score in the top of the sixth, with an error, a single and a sacrifice bunt putting runners on second and third. However, Colin Forstner coaxed a flyout to end the danger. Colin Forstner struck out the side in the seventh inning to secure the victory for the Junior Gold.

New Ulm faces New Prague at 11:30 a.m. at ISG stadium in the winners bracket on Thursday. Anderson said his team will need to improve on its situational baseball if it wants to continue to see success.

“We had a couple moments where we needed to get a bunt down and we couldn’t get a bunt down.” he said. “We’ve just got to get better at doing the little things. I feel that, when you get to tournament baseball, it’s the teams that execute on getting the bunt down on offense and can execute on defending the bunt on defense are the ones that can come away with the win. It’s crazy. Yes, everyone is going to play pretty good defense, everyone can pitch it OK, but that’s the difference-maker I feel when it comes to tournament-style, playoff-style, year-end baseball.”