Sleepy Eye withstood two three-run innings by the Silver during the game, holding off New Ulm until the final out.

“I told the kids earlier, you’re going to face some good competition in a tournament like this,” Sleepy Eye head coach Brandon Streich said. “To face adversity sometimes, it’s only going to help you get better and stronger. We had to battle adversity multiple times today, whether we dug ourselves some holes defensively, not making plays, falling behind hitters. But even when they scored, how are you going to respond to that, and I thought we did pretty well with that. It was good to face some adversity.”

Adam Braulick earned the win for Sleepy Eye, striking out two and allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings. Eric Lozano made the start, striking out two and allowing three unearned runs on one hit and four walks. At the plate, Braulick was 2 for 5 with three RBIs, while Merrick Mathiowetz and Derek Wales each had two hits and two RBIs. Karter Haala and Lozano each recorded two hits.

Hudson Lieser took the loss for the Silver, striking out four and allowing seven runs, four earned, on nine hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Tanner Kissner made the start, striking out two and allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks. At the plate, Ethan Drill was 3 for 4 with two runs scored, while Blake Aufderheide had two hits. Ivan Schroeder had a hit and two RBIs.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Sleepy Eye Junior Legion’s Karter Haala rounds third base during a Junior Upper Midwest Classic game against New Ulm VFW Silver Thursday at Johnson Park.

Sleepy Eye scored the first two runs of the game, with Mathiowetz and Folkens each recording an RBI. New Ulm responded in the bottom of the third, with Schroeder putting an error into play that scored Ethan Drill, Aufderheide scoring on a passed ball and Wyatt Hansen drawing a walk with bases loaded to bring in other run. However, Braulick drew two grounders for outs at home to end the inning.

Sleepy Eye retook the lead in the fourth, with Mathiowetz tripling to score Haala, then coming home on a passed ball. Post 7 added one more run as Braulick singled in the fourth to score Tyler Sellner for a 5-2 lead, then in the fifth, a flyout by Sellner scored Keeyan Netzke and a single by Wales brought home Lozano and Jaxon Saenz to make it an 8-3 game. New Ulm fought back in the bottom of the fifth, with Hansen scoring on a throwing error, Kissner singling to bring home Owen Drill, and a single by Schroeder plating Ethan Drill to cut the lead to 8-6. However, another single by Braulick in the seventh brought home Wales and Lozano for a 10-6 lead, which Sleepy Eye held onto for the win.

Sleepy Eye plays Rosetown Friday at 11 a.m. in Essig to continue the tournament before taking on Prior Lake at 4 p.m. at Mueller Park.

“Right now, I love where we’re at with pitching,” Streich said. “We’re going to pitch Karter Haala Game 1 tomorrow, and then Game 2, Game 1 will determine how we do for Game 2. We’ve got plenty of arms, and I think they’re all ready.”

New Ulm will play Prior Lake at 11:30 a.m.