Legion team makes quick exit at Sub-State tourney

After winning a play-in game to qualify for the Sub- State 2 tournament, the New Prague Post 45 squad dropped both its games last week in the double-elimination tourney. The squad lost 13-0 to Mankato National and 8-3 to Worthington.

Post 45 had just 11 players for the tournament and lost one to injury in the first game, which mean there was only one substitute available during the games, which were played in extremely hot and muggy conditions.

New Prague ended its season with a 6-13 record. Fairmont won the Sub-State Tournament and will compete in the State American Legion Division I Tournament, hosted by Delano, beginning Wednesday, July 27.

Mankato National 13, New Prague 0 Mankato scored in each of its six at-bats as they defeated New Prague 13-0 in seven innings Wednesday, July 19, in New Ulm.

Post 45 had baserunners in six of seven innings, but could muster only five hits on the day and couldn’t get a timely hit to score any runs. Luke Zweber had two hits for New Prague. Ian Cameron, Noah Wicklander and Colton Devine had the others. New Prague loaded the bases in the second inning on a hit and two walks, but couldn’t advance the runners home. Bridger Hahn started and took the loss, allowing 13 hits in four innings. Devine pitched the final two innings.

Worthington 8, New Prague 3 Worthington took a 6-0 lead before New Prague scored three runs in the top of the seventh to cut the lead to 6-3. Worthington got two of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh and went on to eliminate New Prague 8-3 Thursday, July 21.

Will Forberg started strong for New Prague, striking out three in the first inning and one more in the second. However Worthington put some hits together to take a 3-0 lead in the second, and expanded it with a run in the third and two more in the fourth. Forberg finished with nine strikeouts, but walked two and hit two batters. Noah Wicklander pitched an inning of relief.

New Prague got on the board in the seventh when Kaleb Sherman had a leadoff single and Colton Devine reached base via an error. Bridger Hahn drove in a run with a base hit, then Brady O’Neill walked. Forberg helped his cause with a tworun single, but the third out was recorded at third base on the play.

New Prague had hits in both the eighth and ninth innings, but they were not able to bring any more runners home.

Post 45 was led offensively by Hahn, Forberg and Ian Cameron with two hits each. Wicklander, Sherman and Devine had the others.