Jun 19, 2025
Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm VFW Silver’s Owen Castleman (center) high-fives teammates Evan Starke (7) and Ryler Collins (10) after the trio scores during the opening game of the Junior Upper Midwest Classic against Sleepy Eye Junior Legion Thursday at Johnson Park
NEW ULM — New Ulm Silver VFW responded to a six-run fifth inning from Sleepy Eye Junior Legion with a nine-run inning of its own in the sixth to take home a 15-7 win in the opening game of the Junior Upper Midwest Classic Thursday at Johnson Park.
Silver got out of three separate bases-loaded situations during the game without allowing a run, staying cool in tough situations.
“It was a gritty win for us,” New Ulm head coach Jeff Ferrell said. “The inning where they scored the six runs, we made some errors … and then we walked some people, and they tied the game up, but we get out of the inning without giving up the lead. In most cases, kids are going to get down on themselves, and that’s kind of the microcosm of this team. In those same innings, they don’t quit.”
Sleepy Eye left a total of 14 runners on base during the game while recording eight hits, while New Ulm converted 14 hits into 15 runs and left just six runners on base, getting contributions from up and down the lineup.
“It’s a lot to have a lot of quality at-bats,” Ferrell said. “We talk about that in the cage when we have batting practice before the game, to have good, quality at-bats. And that’s what we did. They struggled a little bit throwing strikes as well, and when they got something over the plate, I think we put some good swings on it, and that was key.”
Owen Castleman made the start for New Ulm, striking out five and allowing three unearned runs on four hits in four innings. At the plate, Parker Ranweiler was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Evan Starke was 3 for 3 with two runs scored.
Ryler Collins was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Paxton Johnson was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Karter Haala took the loss for Sleepy Eye, striking out four while allowing 11 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits. At the plate, Gavin Fischer was 2 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Jacob Fulmer, Merrick Mathiowetz and Chase Zufall each had a hit and an RBI.
After a scoreless first inning, Silver scored four runs in the second inning, starting with singles by Starke and Johnson followed by a triple from Kaden Stueber to drive in both runs. Stueber came home on a single by Ranweiler, then Collins hit in the fourth run with a double.
New Ulm scored once in each the third and fourth innings, with a triple form Johnson scoring Starke in the third and an error put into play by Miles Castleman scoring Collins after a triple of his own. Sleepy Eye loaded the bases in both innings, but was unable to get one more hit to drive in a run, leaving it scoreless.
Sleepy Eye finally got its first run of the game in the fifth with Haala and Uecker reaching base, then Mathiowetz hitting a double to score Haala. Sleepy Eye didn’t stop there, loading the bases with walks from Landry Folkens and Eric Lozano, then a single from Fischer and a walk from Fulmer putting the score at 6-3. An error put into play by Haala continued the inning and scored three more runs to tie the game up.
New Ulm responded in the bottom of the inning. Silver loaded up the bases, then Miles Castleman put an error into play to score a run. A fielder’s choice from Owen Castleman scored another, then Trevan Thordson doubled to score three more. Thordson came home on a single from Colin McAlpine, then Ranweiler and Collins each drove in a run to extend the lead out to 15-6.
Sleepy Eye got one more run on a sacrifice fly from Zufall, but it wasn’t enough as Silver closed out the game with a win.
New Ulm plays again Friday at 1:30 p.m. against Hamel at Mueller Park, while Sleepy Eye plays against Alexandria Friday at 11 a.m. at Essig.
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