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

HAMPTON - Searles Bullheads defeated the Minnetonka Lakers 2-0 behind the one hit pitching of Kyle Messner in Sunday's annual "Fishbowl" round-robin tournament played in Hampton. Miesville Groupers ace right-hander John Ruddy then scattered five Bullheads hits to pitch his team to the tournament championship with a 5-2 victory in the final game of the day.

Messner fanned nine Lakers hitters in the first game. Consecutive singles by Messner, Todd Olson, and John Giefer in the top of the seventh inning provided the margin of victory for Searles.

Ruddy, a crafty veteran and "Roy Hobbs" fall teammate of many of his Searles opponents, masterfully fooled the hitters all afternoon. He recorded only one strikeout, but coaxed many a weak swing pop-up or ground ball. Messner and Tom Steinbach doubles were two of the five Searles hits off Ruddy.
The Bullheads end the regular season with a 15-7 record overall, and 12-4 in the Minnesota Senior Men's Amateur Baseball Association's River Valley League.

The MSMABA State Tournament first round pairings have been set, and the Bullheads will begin defense of their 2010 state championship VS Menahga Saturday evening at 7:00 in Veseli.

Submitted by media rep Bruce Jacobs