“Just keep working and play good defense,” New Ulm’s Caleb Forstner said. “Throw strikes, don’t walk guys, that helps. And we knew we would get the win eventually.”

With the win, New Ulm advances to play Shakopee at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Gleason Field in Maple Grove.

New Ulm’s Colin Anderson made the start, striking out nine batters and allowing one run on four hits in five innings. But it was Forstner that earned the win for Gold, cleaning up the game with a 1-2-3 eighth inning that ended in a line-drive hit directly at Forstner. Forstner snagged the hit just in time to close out the game.

“That was fun,” Forstner said. “I just barely saw the ball, and I just reacted. It was fun to get the last out and finish the game out.”

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm Legion Gold’s Zach Hubbard high-fives assistant coach Jake Gieseke after a hit during a DI Legion Baseball State Tournament game against Hastings Thursday at St. Michael-Albertville High School.

In the top of the eighth inning, Ben Alfred was hit by a pitch and Kyle Albrecht singled to set up Dirk Haynes for an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. Ethan Thompson grounded out to score Albrecht and stretch the lead out to the 3-1 final score.

Haynes totaled two hits and an RBI in the game, while Zach Hubbard was 2 for 4. Jake Finstad and Albrecht each had a hit and a run scored.

New Ulm loaded the bases right away in the top of the first, with Finstad starting the rally with two outs. Then an error put into play by Haynes brought home Finstad for a 1-0 lead before a flyout ended the inning.

Anderson and Hastings pitcher Carter Lundstorm battled back and forth for the next several innings. New Ulm struggled to get base runners on as Lundstorm had a seven-strikeout outing of his own. However, in the bottom of the fifth, Hastings got a triple from Cole Werner and a sacrifice fly from Tyson Werner to get a runner home and tie the game up.

Hastings had more success in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with no outs. However, Kolton Achman engineered a grounder that Forstner, who was playing second, took home for a fielder’s choice, a fly out that Hastings did not tag up on and a strikeout to end the inning without a score.

That ended up being critical, as New Ulm did not score for the rest of regulation. However, Lundstorm exited the game with a high pitch count, and New Ulm’s bats took advantage to score twice in the eighth. Forstner wrapped things up with his 1-2-3 bottom of the inning.

Forstner said the team will have to continue to stay hot at the plate to continue to win in the tournament.

“Same thing as we have been,” he said. “Good pitching, good defense, and get some timely hits.”