Kick-started by a five-run first inning and 6-0 lead after two, New Prague had a six-run fifth inning to take down the Silver 12-2 in the VFW District 2 Baseball Tournament championship game.

The game ended in the fifth due to the 10-run lead rule, which was put into effect after Easton Weinandt’s ground-ball single into right for New Prague’s 12th run of the game.

The Silver, who won four games in a row in elimination bracket play to earn the right to play Saturday, would have had to have beaten New Prague twice on Saturday to advance to this year’s state tournament.

The Silver lost to Chaska in the first round of the tournament Wednesday before beating both Hutchinson and Sleepy Eye on Thursday. They then took down the Mankato National and Marshall on Friday to advance to Saturday’s finals.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm VFW Silver third baseman Wyatt Hansen makes a catch in foul territory near the New Prague dugout during the VFW District 2 Baseball Tournament finals at Wolverton Field in Mankato on Saturday.

Despite being unable to defeat New Prague and make it to state, Silver head coach Josh Altmann said he couldn’t be much happier with what he saw from his players this summer.

“I’m more than happy with them,” Altmann said. “And that starts a few years ago, coaching them since they were seventh-graders. Then into this season, winning our first tournament in Luverne, we were the first Silver team to make it to Sunday in the Junior [Upper Midwest] Classic [in New Ulm], and then to have this run at it, we’re still happy with second place, but we know a couple things go our way and we’re in a different spot.”

While the underdog Silver surprised some teams and stayed alive in the tournament after losing their opener, New Prague had a short leash for them and stayed patient right away in the first against right-handed starting pitcher Tanner Kissner. With patience at the plate, New Prague was able to to score five runs in the inning.

Kissner walked three, hit a batter and allowed three hits in that first as New Prague took a cozy 5-0 lead. Cal Kalina, who led New Prague at the plate by going 3 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs, had one of his doubles in that first inning to make it 2-0 after a wild pitch scored the first run of the game.

Kissner had better results the next two innings he pitched and finished three innings of work by allowing five hits and six walks for six earned runs while striking out two.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm VFW Silver starting pitcher Tanner Kissner delivers a pitch during the VFW District 2 Baseball Tournament finals against New Prague on Saturday at Wolverton Field in Mankato.

After a Kalina two-out single in the second, Wyatt Miller tripled to center to make it 6-0.

New Prague’s 6-0 lead after two gave the Silver a challenge to deal with, which was even more difficult due to Miller, New Prague’s starting pitcher, being locked in. Miller pitched all five innings, allowing just one hit and three walks for two earned runs while striking out four to earn the win.

Wyatt Hansen walked to lead off the fourth inning and scored the Silver’s first run of the game on a passed ball after stealing second and being grounded to third by Bobby Rewitzer. Owen Drill then walked before Chase Wilson collected the Silver’s lone hit of the game, a single to put runners on the corners for Ethan Drill. A delayed double steal saw Wilson beat a throw to second with a head-first slide and Owen Drill swipe home to make it 6-2.

Wilson, who took the mound in relief in the fourth, pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and a walk for six runs, two earned, while striking out two.

New Prague scored its final six runs in the fifth with two outs after a flyout started the inning. A walk and a single were followed by a strikeout, but Brandt Tisdel doubled to left to make it 8-2 before an error kept the inning going. Kalina then doubled to make it a 10-2 game before back-to-back RBI singles from Miller and Weinandt ended the game.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm VFW Silver’s Chase Wilson kicks up a dust storm by sliding into second safely for a stoeln base during the VFW District 2 Baseball Tournament finals Saturday at Wolverton Field in Mankato.

New Prague had 10 hits to New Ulm’s one and didn’t commit an error.

“[Our team is] a heck of a group, it’s just a tough loss,” Altmann said. “Change probably two innings this weekend, then we’re in a different spot and we probably have some more pitching to work with, but this group, there’s no place I’d rather be than out here with them.”

The Silver, who ended the season 15-11, had some ups and downs this summer, but Altmann said there were no surprises overall.

“No surprises, I just know the big thing we’ve got to work on is where we’re at mentally,” he said. “You can chalk that up to the couple innings I said we’d take back. But I’m more than proud of this team and I’m grateful to be their coach.”

The VFW State Baseball Tournament begins July 30 in St. Cloud. New Prague will enter the tournament with a 19-4 record.