Springfield is on a ten-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while New Ulm Cathedral is on a seven-game streak of away wins (also dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Tigers will host the Greyhounds at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Springfield 1.8, New Ulm Cathedral 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
While Springfield's win against Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tigers had just enough and edged out the Thunderbirds 3-2. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Thunderbirds recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Jackson Ludewig made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Ludewig was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Springfield got a great performance from Noah Mueller as he didn't allow a single earned run over 4.1 innings pitched.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Russell Beers, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Kade Nachreiner was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, New Ulm Cathedral earned a 12-7 win over Sleepy Eye on Monday.
Caleb Forstner spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and five unearned) runs on eight hits.
On the hitting side, Jake Finstad and Elijah Rieser did most of the damage at the plate: Finstad went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one triple, while Rieser went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Finstad is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games he's played. Another player making a difference was Joey Schugel, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
New Ulm Cathedral hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in seven consecutive matches.
Springfield's victory bumped their record up to 13-0. As for New Ulm Cathedral, their win bumped their record up to 11-1.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Springfield hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. However, it's not like New Ulm Cathedral struggles in that department as they've averaged .369. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Springfield beat New Ulm Cathedral 5-1 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Tigers repeat their success, or do the Greyhounds have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
