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

SEARLES - The Searles Bullheads defeated the Veseli Vulcans Sunday 7-3 to secure second place behind St. Peter in the River Valley League's Southern Division. It also earned a higher MSMABA state tournament seeding for the winners. Both Searles and Veseli entered the deciding game with eight wins and five losses in conference play.

After winning pitcher Terry Steinbach retired the Vulcans in order in the first inning, the Bullheads plated a run in their half of the inning. Kyle Messner led off with a base hit. Todd Olson moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Following a walk to Dave Fauth, Mike Marquardt singled in Messner.

Brian Sieve started a three-run third inning with a single, and after an Olson walk, John Giefer singled, Dave Fauth doubled in a run, and Marquardt came through once again with a two run single.

Searles carried a four-run lead into the fourth until the extreme heat and humidity took it's toll on Steinbach. He struggled through the inning allowing three runs, two of which were earned, on two hits and three walks. Those runs and hits were to be only ones for Veseli in the contest.

The Bullheads picked up a big run in the bottom of the inning on a Terry Steinbach single, a Doug Eckstrom sacrifice bunt, and another Sieve hit for a 5-3 lead. After Tom Steinbach walked the bases loaded to open the fifth, Messner came in to pitch for Searles. Messner proceeded to strike out the next two Vulcan hitters and get the final out on a grounder to third. He then sailed through the next two innings fanning four more to close out the game.

The Bullheads added two more sixth inning insurance runs as both Eckstrom and Tim Steinbach were hit by pitches, Bruce Gieseke and Messner were walked to force in one run, and Olson drove in another on a fielder's choice.

The last regular season game for Searles will be played Thursday evening in Belle Plaine. An exhibition game is being scheduled with Union Hill the following week to prepare for the upcoming 32 team state tournament which is held the final two weekends of August in Jordan and other locations in that area.

Veseli Vulcans ....... 000 300 0 - 3/2/1
Searles Bullheads .. 103 102 X - 7/10/1

Anderson (L), Cortez (5) and Berger; Terry Steinbach (W),Tom Steinbach (5), Messner (5) and Seidl, Tim Steinbach (5).
2B-Fauth

Submitted by: Bruce Jacobs - Searles Bullheads media rep.