New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

Reports provided by Bruce Jacobs, Searles Bullheads Media Representative and River Valley 50 Bullheads manager
River Valley Bullheads finsish third in M50BL Tournament

The River Valley Bullhead 50s closed out their season with a hard fought 11-10 win over the TC Twins Sunday to finish third in the M50BL Post-Season tournament in St. Louis Park. River Valley had lost 8-6Saturday to Cross-town Traffic of Burnsville.

The Bullheads actually out-hit Burnsville 12-8 in Saturday's defeat, but left the bases loaded in each of the final two innings. Starting pitcher Brian Donahue took the loss throwing five innings. Steve Wilson finished the game. Dave Johnson, Bruce Jacobs, Greek Wagner, and Dan Wilson each had twos.

In Sunday's win over The Twins, the Bullheads jumped out to a 10-1 lead after two innings, but saw their lead slowly disappear by the sixth. In the bottom of the 6th, Steve Wilson doubled to the fence in left (his third hit) Dan Wilson moved him to third with a base hit, and Donahue drove in what proved to be the winning run on a fielder's choice ground out to second. Steve Wilson also earned the save on the mound by throwing a hit-less seventh inning in relief of winning pitcher Tom Lacina.

The top four teams in the 12 team M50BL tournament finished just as seeded with St. Louis Park defeating Burnsville in the Championship game.

River Valley Bullheads win last three

The River Valley Bullhead 50s Baseball Club finished the regular season winning their final three games this weekend in St. Peter. After losing a close 7-4 game in Saturday's doubleheader opener to Cross-town Traffic of Burnsville, they won the nightcap in eight innings 6-5. Sunday the Bullheads swept the Bloomington Goats 6-4 and 3-2

Keith Bense lost Saturday's first game allowing six earned runs on 10 hits. The Bullheads scored their four runs on just fpur hits including a double by Arnie Degenhardt. In game two, starting pitcher Myron Seidl threw the first six, silencing the Burnsville bats. With the score tied at 4 entering the 8th, Cross-town scored a run on a pair of singles and a stolen base to take the lead. However the Bullheads answered with two in the bottom of the inning for a walk-off win. Steve Wilson's base hit started the winning rally. Degenhardt walked. Brian Donahue's hit loaded the bases. Bense's second hit of the game plated Wilson, and Rick Boyer was hit by a pitch to bring in the winning run. Wilson got credit for the win, pitching the final 2 innings for the Bullheads.

Sunday's doubleheader sweep of Bloomington was highlighted by the three quality at bats by soon-to-be 80 year old Don Wickelgren. Don is the father of Bullheads' players Ken and Steve Wickelgren. Tom Lacina allowed only two earned runs to earn the complete game win in game one, and his offense provided a comfortable first inning 5-2 lead. Wilson, Degenhardt, Donahue, Bense, and Greek Wagner singled in the inning (his first of two in the game). Seidl drove in Dan Wilson in the second to account for the final run.

In game two Donahue threw a complete game masterpiece. He held the goats to just four hits while striking out four. Neither Bloomington run was earned. The Bullheads collected six hits includingtwo by Bruce Jacobs, and a huge RBI double by Jeff Knutson.

The Bullheads finish the regular season with a 9-8 record and will play in the 12 team M50BL post-season tournament this weekend in St. Louis Park.

River Valley Bullheads Win one, Split Twin Bill

After a 12-2 home win over Apple Valley Thursday the River Valley Bullhead 50s lost both games of a doubleheader to the TC Angels of Crystal Sunday in St. Peter, 7-4 and 7-6.

Thursday, the Bullheads broke open a 2-2 game after three innings with a seven-run fourth. Jeff Knutson, Tom Bruess, Tom Boisen, and Ken Wickelgren all had two-hit nights and Tom Steinbach, Bruce Jacobs, Tom Lacina, and Boisen scored 2 runs apiece to lead the 14-hit offensive attack. Knutson started on the mound and Steve Wilson worked finished with three hit-less frames fanning four Apple Valley hitters.

Bullheads failed to get the timely hit all day Sunday. In the day's first game, the Angels jumped on losing pitcher Lacina with a seven hit, five-run 3rd inning, then added two more in the sixth to cushion a 5-4 lead. Dave Johnson's had three singles in the seven Bullhead hits.

Game two started promising for the Bullheads as starting pitcher Keith Bense retired the side in order in the first. Ray Glynn led off the bottom of the inning with a solid base hit. Following a Jacobs double and a Wilson walk, Johnson was retired on a ground out to the pitcher but both Glynn and Jacobs scored.

Brian Donahue drove in Wilson with a base hit to plate the third run of the inning before the Angels' pitchers then settled into a groove holding the Bullheads went hit-less until the sixth when Brian Sieve and Wilson hits drove in a pair of runs to knot the game at 6-6. The scored the winning run on a two-out hit and got the side in order to complete the sweep.

The 5-5 Bullheads host the Minnesota Saints in their next game :30 Thursday evening in St. Peter.

River Valley Bullheads Split in Two Games

After Thursday's thrilling extra-inning home win over Shakopee, the River Valley Bullhead 50s baseball team split doubleheader Sunday in the Twin Cities. . A 5-2 win over the Minnesota Saints at Round Lake Stadium in Eden Prairie began the day. Tom Lacina pitched a two-hitt complete game gem. He had a no-hitter before the Saints scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth. Arnie Degenhardt and Bruce Jacobs led the nine-hit offense, each with RBI doubles.

After a five-hour wait between games they lost 14-6 to the Bloomington Goats. The Bullheads plated three runs in the first for what appeared to be a comfortable lead, only to have the Goats answer with four in their hal. It went steadily downhill from there as Bloomington scored at least once in each inning thereafter.

The 4-3 Bullheads host a couple of conference newcomers in St. Peter meeting the Apple Valley Albatross at 7:30 p.m.Thursday followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday Sept. 23rd vs. the Twin City Angels.

River Valley Bullheads Take Second Win

Pitchers Myron Seidl, Dave Johnson, and Brian Donahue held the Northfield Coyotes to seven hits Thursday evening and the Bullheads' offense pounded out 10 hits (all singles) to give them a 10-5 road win in over 50 fall baseball. Steve Wilson, Dan Wilson, Tom Bruess, Ken Wickrelgren, Greek Wagner, and Donahue led the attack, each with multi-hit games.

The Bullheads host the St. Louis Park Bees in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at St. Peter Sunday.

River Valley 50 Bullheads Open with Win

The River Valley 50 Bullheads kicked off their M50BL fall season with a 7-3 victory over the Northfield Coyotes Thursday evening in St. Peter. The 12-team Minnesota 50 Baseball League includes nine metro and three out-state teams made up of senior players 50 years of age. Each team is allowed to have up to 3 (position) players ages 48 or 49. The RV 50 Bullheads call St. Peter's Veterans Park home, and will play 11 of their 19 scheduled games there this season.
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Myron Seidl, Tom Lacina, and Steve Wilson combined to limit the Coyotes to just two earned runs on four hits in the season opener for both teams. Wilson closed out the game by fanning three in the final frame for the Bullheads.
Randall Stuckey, Jeff Knutson, Brian Donahue,Tom Bruess, and Wilson all had multi hit games to lead the Bullhead's 13-hit offense. Wilson , Bruess, and Stuckey all connected for doubles in the contest.

The Bullheads continue their season next Thursday with a rematch in Northfield and then play each weekend and Thursday until the post-season tournament which is scheduled for October 13th and 14th.

Bullheads Finish with Consolation Championship

After two disappointing state tournament losses last weekend by a total of three runs, the Searles Bullheads ended their 2012 season on a high note by winning a pair of games and a consolation championship in the tourney's final weekend of play.

In Friday evening's game against Loretto, Bullheads winning pitcher Brant Drill held the opposition scoreless through the 4th inning while the offense came out slugging to a 11-1 five inning victory over the Sox.

In each of the first three innings, Troy Kamm and Craig Schmitz reached base and John Giefer and Corey Schaefer drove them in. Add in a Scott Rummel walk, a Drill base hit and a Brian Sieve double and Searles had built a 10-0 lead after Loretto scored three in the top of the 5th but consecutive hits from Schaefer, Bruce Jacobs, Al Felber and Drill ended the game early.

Saturday afternoon's consolation game came down to the Bullhead's last at-bat. After building a first inning 2-0 lead against the LeSueur-Henderson Legends, starting pitcher Scott Rummel gave up two runs on three Legends' hits in the fourth inning to knot the game at two. Rummel, gave way to reliever Craig Schmitz to start the fifth for Searles and the Legends scored twice on two walks and two hits to go up 4-2. However, Schmitz became the winning pitcher as Bruce Jacobs led off the 6th with a base hit to left. After Al Felber's line drive out, Doug Ekstrom singled to set the table for Troy Kamm's game winning three-run homer. The Bullheads scored another run on a Brian Sieve bases loaded walk before the rain came and forced the game to an end with a 6-4 Searles win.
The Bullheads end the season with a 12-7 record in MSMABA play.

Loretto Sox ............ 000 01 - 1-4-1
Searles Bullheads ... 226 01 - 11-15-0
L- Ellis (L), Vike, and Latt. S- Drill (W) and Felber
2B- Kamm, Giefer, and Sieve

Searles Bullheads ................. 200 004 - 6-6-0
LeSueur- Henderson Legends ..000 220 - 4-5-2
S- Rummel, Schmitz (W), and Felber. LS- Zieher, Koester (L), and Sullivan
HR- Kamm.

Bullheads drop two in state tournament play
The Searles Bullheads suffered two tough losses by a total of three runs over the first weekend of the 2012 MSMABA state tournament. Waconia came up with a walk-off base hit Saturday in Lonsdale to give the Islanders a 10-9 come-from-behind victory. Sunday Carlos scored five runs in the first two innings and held on to defeat the Bullheads 5-3 at Veseli.

Saturday, Searles scored five runs in the fourth with the aid of a two-run homer by Troy Kamm to take a 6-1 lead over Waconia only to have the Islanders answer with seven of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Trailing 6-9 entering the seventh inning, Searles' Corey Schaefer collected his fourth hit, a ringing double to centerffield to start a rally. Following a Brian Sieve single, Scott Schaefer blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence to tie the game.

Pitching in relief of starter Kevin Hulke, Craig Schmitz allowed 3 walks before surrendering the one-out game winning base to become the losing pitcher.

Sunday Carlos jumped out to a three-run first inning lead off pitcher Scott Rummel with three base hits and a catcher's interference call. The Bullheads' Brian Sieve drove in one in the bottom of the inning, but Searles left the bases loaded.

The White Caps added 2 more in the second on three hits and a walk to take a 5-1 lead which lasted until the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, John Giefer and Corey Schaefer singled ahead of a two-run Scott Schaefer hit to make it 5-3. That is how the game ended as the Bullheads left the tying runs on base in the seventh.

The Bullheads will play next in the consolation bracket with a Friday evening game in Union Hill.

Searles Bullheads ..... 100 500 3 - 9-13-4
Waconia Islanders .... 001 701 1 - 10-10-0
S- Hulke, Schmitz (L) (5), and S. Schaefer. W-Hauge (W) and Brouillette.
2B- C. Schaefer S, Hauge W. HR- S. Schaefer, Kamm S

Carlos Whitecaps ..... 320 000 0 - 5-9-0
Searles Bullheads .... 100 002 0 - 3-7-1

Bullheads Get Gem of Victory

The Searles Bullheads got the perfect baseball combination of good pitching and timely hitting to down the visiting St. Louis Park Cardinals Friday night 12-2. The scoring outburst started with a five-run Bullhead first inning and ended with 2 outs in the bottom of the sixth as Kurt Thorson drove in the final Searles run to give them the 10-run victory.
Tom Steinbach led the 13 hit Bullhead offense with a 3 for 3, four RBI night. Randy Cox, Craig Schmitz, Corey Schaefer, and John Giefer had 2-hit games, and Scott Rummel, Steinbach, Schmitz, and Schaefer all collected doubles.
Kevin Hulke held the Cardinals to 5 hits while striking out eight.
The Bullheads travel to Prior Lake for a 2 p..game Sunday at Ponds Athletic Complex.

St. Louis Park Cardinals ... 001 010 2/5/1
Searles Bullheads ............ 520 302 12/13/0

SLP-Swanson (L) and Chell, S-Hulke (W) and Cox
3b- Thielen (SLP), 2b- Schmitz, C. Schaefer, Steinbach, Rummel (S)

Bullheads Lose Pair

After a blowout 10-0 loss to former New Ulmite Brad Keanon and the Shakopee Chiefs Friday in Shakopee, the Searles Bullheads had hoped to turn the tides Sunday afternoon as they hosted the Southwest Outlaws.

Myron Seidl took a one hit shutout into the 7th inning with his Bullheads clinging to a 1-0 lead. After a lead off single, catcher Al Felber threw out the runner trying to steal second. Seidl struck out the next hitter for the second out and it appeared Searles had a victory in hand.

After a walk, the following hitter blasted a ground rule double into the ivy at the left center fence. The very next hitter drove in the tying and winning runs by back-handing a perfectly thrown Seidl curveball over the third baseman. The Bullheads threatened, but couldn't score in their half of the seventh.
Bruce Jacobs and Kurt Thorson had the only hits for Searles in the contest. Outlaws pitcher Miller fanned 12 and walked nine.

The 7-5 Bullheads host St. Louis Park at 8 p.m. Friday evening, then travel to Belle Plaine Saturday for a 2 p.m. game vs the Prior Lake Pacers.

Southwest Outlaws ..... 000 000 2 - 2/4/1
Searles Bullheads ....... 001 000 0 - 1/2/0

SW- Miller (W)and Appel, S- Seidl (L) and Felber
2b- Fritz SW

Bullheads Beat Union Hill 3-2
Searles Bullheads pitcher Scott Rummel out-dueled Joe Hoffman of the Pitbulls Wednesday evening in a 3-2 winat Union Hill. Rummel fanned six and allowed only three hits to gain the victory. Hoffman was equally as stingy allowing only three hits. He did, however. walk eight which came back to haunt him.
Bruce Jacobs produced the first run for the Bullheads with a two-out bases loaded walk in the second inning. In the third, Kurt Thorson drilled a bases loaded two-out single to left to drive in Matt Kuster and John Giefer who had both walked. Kevin Hulkehad a seventh inning double, but was stranded at second. Defense was also a big factor in the win for Searles, as many excellent plays were made behind Rummel, especially by the middle infield of Kuster and Giefer.
The Bullheads travel to Shakopee for a 7:30 game Friday evening, and then host the Southwest Outlaws at 2:00 Sunday afternoon.

Searles Bullheads 012 000 0 3-3-1
Union Hill Pitbulls 001 010 0 2-3-1
Rummel and Seidl: Hoffman and Milinkovich.

Bullheads Lose to Waconia 4-0
Myron Seidl and Waconia's Mark Grundhofer were locked in a pitching duel for six innings until the Islanders broke through with four seventh inning runs on three hits and two walks to take a 4-0 win from the Bullheads Sunday afternoon in Searles. Searles could muster only four hits off Grundhofer. Seidl allowed seven hits and four walks while fanning five.
The Bullheads play three times this week: Wednesday in Union Hill, Friday in Shakopee, and then back home Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. ame VS. Welcome.

Waconia Islanders 000-000-4 4/7/0
Searles Bullheads 000-000-0 0/4/0

Grundhofer and Durklin, Seidl and Schmitz
no extra base hits

Bullheads Lose Another Close One
The Searles Bullheads took the road for a Sunday afternoon game against Mark Pearson and the Webster Wildkats. Pearson frustrated the Bullhead hitters all afternoon and pitched his team to a 4-2 victory. Searles stranded 11 runners, including leaving the bases loaded in the 2nd and 3rd innings.
Mike Sandman led the Wildkat hitters with a pair of ringing doubles off tough luck losing pitcher Myron Seidl. Seidl allowed only four other hits and struck out 4 over 5 and 2/3 innings. Craig Schmitz finished for the Bullheads fanning 2.
John Giefer and Scott Schaefer led the seven-hit Bullheads offense with a pair of hits. Schaefer led off the 7th inning with a double but again was stranded at 3rd to end the game.

Searles Bullheads 000-020-0 2/7/3
Webster Wildkats 200-110-X 4/7/2

S- Seidl (L), Schmitz 5th, and Schaefer. W- Pearson and Zweber
2B-Sandman (2) W, Schaefer S

July 13, 2012 - Jordon Edges Bullheads 7-6
SEARLES - Kevin Hulke and the Searles Bullheads were one strike away from continuing their perfect record Saturday afternoon in Searles, but Jordan Millers catcher DJ Noyes spoiled the plan with a 3 run homer to give the Millers the MSMABA conference come-from-behind victory and keep them on top of the Rawlings division with a 7-6 victory.
The Bullheads struck first with a two run first inning as lead off hitter Troy Kamm walked. Corey Schaefer promptly doubled in Kamm, and Craig Schmitz followed with a RBI single.
Three more runs were tallied in the second inning as Bruce Jacobs singled and Randy Cox and Kamm walked to load the bases. Schaefer again drove a double into the left field corner giving Searles a commanding 5-0 lead.
After allowing a 4th inning run, the Bullheads answered with one in their half on Kamm's 3rd walk of the game, a Schaefer base hit and a run producing ground out off the bat of Schmitz. That was to be Searles' last run of the game as they watched Jordan chip away at their lead with single runs in the 5th and 6th innings.
Hulke allowed 3 singles and a run in the 7th. He then recorded two outs before Noyes' full count three-run blast over the ivy in right, and the Bullheads were not able to plate a run in the home half, stranding two runners on base.
The Bullheads travel to Webster for a 2:00 game tomorrow, their 2nd in a stretch of five conference games in eight days.

Jordan Millers 000-111-4 7/12/0
Searles Bullheads 230-100-0 6/6/1

J- Noonen, Larson (W), and Noyes. S- Hulke (L) and Felber
2b - P. Buesgens, Larson -J, Schaefer (2) -S, HR - Noyes -J

Submitted by: Bruce Jacobs - Searles Bullheads media rep.

June 29, 2012 Bullheads Blank Lonsdale 3-1 - SEARLES- Kevin Hulke and Myron Seidl pitched a masterpiece and the 4-0 Searles Bullheads offense came through in the clutch to defeat the Lonsdale Jokers 3-1 in MSMABA River Valley League play Friday evening (June 29, 2012) in Searles. Hulke started on the mound and threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two Lonsdale hits and five base runners. Seidl allowed a single run in the 6th inning on a walk and a double but that was the only hit he allowed, as he fanned the side in the 7th to earn the save.
The Bullheads scored in the 3rd inning as Troy Kamm singled and Doug Ekstrom reached on a fielder's choice. After John Giefer reached on an error by the Lonsdale second baseman, Kamm scored on a sacrifice fly to deep right field off the bat of Corey Schaefer. Craig Schmitz promptly singled in Ekstrom for a 2-0 Searles lead.
Brian Sieve lead off the 4th with his second hit of the contest and Bruce Jacobs reached on a fielders choice as Sieve was nipped at second. However, after Kurt Thorson's hot grounder was juggled by the third baseman, Jacobs reached second and then scored on a big two out line drive base hit from Ekstrom.
The Bullheads played error-less defense highlighted by a diving catch by first baseman Scott Rummel and a diving stop and force play by Ekstrom at shortstop.
Following a weekend tournament in Menahga July 7th, the Bullheads next scheduled home game is Saturday July 14th vs. the Jordan Millers.

Lonsdale Jokers 000 001 0 1-3-3
Searles Bullheads 002 100 X 3-7-0

L- Popp (L), Ceplecha 5th, and Werteman. S- Hulke (W), Seidl (S) 6th, and Felber
2b- Weydert-L

June 28, 2012 - Veslei Finally Forfeits The Veseli Vulcans have given the Searles Bullheads a forfeit win as they have had to cancel out of their re-scheduled Saturday June 30th game in Searles. The game was originally scheduled for May 12th.
The 3-0 Bullheads host the 6-2 Lonsdale Jokers tomorrow night (June 29th) at 7:30PM in Searles and then travel to the Menahga tournament July 7th for their next games.

June 17, 2012 - Faribault Flames Edged 4-2 SEARLES---A Brian Sieve base hit in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie and drove in Corey Schaefer with the winning run for the Searles Bullheads Sunday afternoon June 17 against the Faribault Flames.
After a Troy Kamm bunt single, Craig Schmitz drove a two-run double to the fence to add a couple of insurance runs giving Searles a three-run cushion for a 6-3 victory as relief pitcher Scott Rummel held Faribault scoreless in the seventh. The Bullheads were aided by three double plays turned by Kurt Thorson at second base in the 4th, 6th, and 7th innings. Thorson, playing in his first game for the Bullheads, also drove in the tying run in the 5th.
Kevin Hulke started for Searles, allowing three runs in the third inning. Brant Drill worked three hit-less innings, collecting four strikeouts and walking two to set up double plays and earn the win.
Kamm, Schaefer, and Schmitz had two-hit games as the Bullheads collected nine for the game.

Faribault Flames ..... 003-000-0 3-4-1
Searles Bullheads ... 200-013-X 6-9-1
Vogel, Custer(L), and Bauer. Hulke, Drill (4) (W), Rummel (7) and Felber
2b- Schaefer(2) and Schmitz