If you were at the New Ulm VFW Gold-Mankato Royals District 2 VFW Championship game Monday night at Johnson Park, you saw perhaps the most exciting game this season here, be it high school, legion or amateur.

New Ulm ended up winning the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on an infield single.

I have tabbed it baseball’s “Perfect Storm” game, at least for New Ulm fans.

Both teams plated a run in the first inning, but from then on, Mankato’s Ryder Baldwin and New Ulm’s Levi Franta frustrated opposing batters.

After the first inning, Franta held Mankato’s batters to four hits through eight innings, while Baldwin, who pitched until there were two outs in the seventh, held Gold bats to three hits.

Both teams’ defenses came up big in the game, with Gold turning two inning-ending double plays and throwing a Royals runner out at home in the fifth inning.

Mankato’s defense threw out a Gold runner at home in the bottom of the sixth and then comitted two errors in the seventh inning, but did not let New Ulm score.

But in the top of the eighth inning, the Royals took a 2-1 lead over Gold and were three outs away from forcing a second game for a trip to the state tournament.

But a double from Zach Riederer and a fielder’s choice put New Ulm runners on second and third with two outs.

The Royals then issued an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Blaine Olson. While it loaded the bases, it also set up a game-ending force out at any base.

Here is where that “Perfect Storm” comes into play for New Ulm.

Royals reliever Colton Bohl went to a 3-0 count to Gold’s No. 7 hitter Adam Wiltscheck before throwing two strikes to run the count full to 3-2.

On Bohl’s sixth pitch of the at-bat, Wiltscheck laced a roller to shortstop Evan Maes, but Maes’ throw was not in time to get the speedy Wiltscheck at first. And with the count full and two outs, all runners were off on the pitch, which allowed two Gold runs to score.

Was Mankato’s strategy right in walking Olson to load the bases with two outs?

You could say, ‘Yes it was. They got the ground ball that they wanted.’

But it came on a full count with the bases loaded and two outs.

Had Wiltsheck hit that same grounder a pitch earlier on a 3-1 count, the Royals shortstop could have flipped the ball to second for a game-ending force out.

But with all runners going on that pitch, his only play was to try and get the hustling Wiltscheck at first. But Wiltscheck’s speed and with all New Ulm runners running pedal-to-the metal on the pitch, Gold earned an improbable win.

So you can call the game more “Johnson Park Magic” or the “Perfect Storm Game” or whatever you want.

I just know it was one heck of a game that people will remember for a long time.

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