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Fairmont VFW comeback trips New Ulm Gold

FAIRMONT — Dalen Keltgen and Dustin Schultz produced a pair of clutch two-run singles during the bottom of the sixth inning to cap the Fairmont VFW Post 1222 baseball team’s 5-4 comeback victory over New Ulm Gold 1648 on Wednesday night at Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont.

“We only had seven hits tonight, and just two in the sixth, but they were key ones,” said Fairmont VFW head coach Todd Sukalski. “Carter (Reutzel) did a nice job of moving two runners into scoring position before Dalen delivered a big hit to drive in two runs to get us within one.

“Later during the at-bat, Dustin delivered the tying and go-ahead runs with his hit. He came through with the tying hit last week against Sleepy Eye.”

Trailing 4-1, Jacob Tennyson assisted his own pitching cause by reaching on a leadoff error before courtesy runner Caden Baarts advanced 90 feet when Daniel Reiter drew a walk for Post 1222.

Reutzel then pushed a grounder to the right side of the infield to move Baarts and Reiter to second and third, respectively. Keltgen smacked a single to the left-center gap to plate both Fairmont teammates to trim Gold’s lead to 4-3 and caused a New Ulm pitching change.

Right-handed starter Owen Rich exited the mound in favor of lefty reliever Teddy Giefer with one out in the home half of the sixth.

Giefer got a groundout that moved Keltgen to second base before Joey Flohrs drew a walk. Keltgen alertly advanced 90 feet on ball four. Schultz then smacked a two-run single to center, and Flohrs displayed his mettle by scoring the eventual game-winning run all the way from first on the play.

Tennyson then stranded New Ulm’s Alex Hillesheim only 90 feet away from home during the top of the seventh to preserve his own complete-game victory for Fairmont.

Hillesheim lined a leadoff single to left, swiped second and motored to third on Aaron Portner’s sacrifice bunt. Post 1222 first baseman Nick Eversman then displayed his range by corraling a foul popup near the hometown dugout for the second out.

Tennyson then got the next Gold batter to ground out to Fairmont shortstop Dalen Keltgen to close out the comeback win.

Tennyson allowed four runs on seven hits, issued three walks and hit one batter in seven innings of work to net the win.

Schultz went 2-for-4 to top Fairmont’s seven-hit effort, while Eversman, Tennyson and Mario Maldonado each contributed a hit.

Jaden Domeier went 2-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored to top New Ulm’s seven-hit performance, while Braden Zimmerman produced a two-run single during the top of the third inning.

Giefer allowed one run on one hit and issued one walk in 2/3s of an inning of relief to receive the loss for Gold.

Fairmont (5-2) plays host to New Ulm Silver at 10 a.m. Saturday at Herb Wolf Field.

New Ulm 002 101 0 — 4 7 2

Fairmont 100 004 x — 5 7 1

Owen Rich, Teddy Giefer (6, LP) and Josh Seidl. Jacob Tennyson (WP) and Daniel Reiter.

LOB–Fairmont 6, New Ulm Gold 8. SAC–Aaron Portner (NU), Braden Zimmerman (NU), Teddy Giefer (NU), Mason Cox (NU).

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