Worthington scored runs in both of the first two innings of the game and held a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the second. But seven at-bats later, New Ulm set things straight, putting up five runs before Worthington recorded the first out of the inning. New Ulm went on to win 6-3 and will now play fifth-seeded Mankato National at 1 p.m. Thursday at Wolverton Field.

“I think we finally got some decent quality at-bats in the third inning,” New Ulm head coach Curt Forbrook said. “It was the offense, we got that going and settled in. I don’t know if we started a little nervous or something, but we did enough to get by today.”

Zach Hubbard earned the win for New Ulm, striking out three and allowing three runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. At the plate, Levi Hopp was 2 for 2 with three RBIs, while Eli Anderson was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Dirk Haynes added a hit and two RBIs.

Kyle Albrecht started off the big second inning for New Ulm with a single, which Evan Blekestad followed with a single of his own. Anderson’s double brought home Albrecht for New Ulm’s first run of the game, then Haynes hit a two-RBI single to tie the game at 3. Alex Portner was hit by a pitch, then Hubbard hit a single to load the bases, which Hopp capitalized on with a two-RBI single for a 5-3 lead.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm's Kyle Albrecht comes home for a run during a DI Senior Legion Sub-State 2 Baseball Tournament game against Worthington Wednesday at Wolverton Field in Mankato.

Worthington got out of the inning without further damage, thanks in part to an infield line-drive double play, but Hubbard was able to pitch with the lead going into the third inning. Hubbard allowed just two hits for his remaining 3 2/3 innings he was on the mound as the defense settled in.

“We’ve been playing pretty good defense lately,” Forbrook said. “I think that’s something we can lean on. Overall our pitching has been good. Pitching and defense, if we can get that, we’re all right. Usually I feel like we can score enough runs.”

The Gold put up one more run in the fourth inning, with Hopp hitting a sacrifice fly to plate Portner for a 6-3 advantage. That held until the final out as New Ulm claimed the victory.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm's Eli Anderson takes off for second base during a DI Senior Legion Sub-State 2 Baseball Tournament game against Worthington Wednesday at Wolverton Field in Mankato.