Beating the storm

NEW BREMEN - Nick Wells took a perfect game into the fifth inning and New Bremen strung together hits to pick up a 4-1 win over Minster in an ACME game that was ended in the bottom of the fifth inning due to an incoming storm.

The win moves the Cardinals to 7-3 on the spring. Minster drops to 10-2 and suffers its first loss of the summer in the state of Ohio after losing a game during the team's annual trip to Tennessee.

Wells had command of his pitches, needing only eight pitches to get through the first inning and 41 pitches for the first four innings as he retired the first 12 Wildcat batters in order. Wells finished with six strikeouts.

"He worked ahead of the batters," Cardinals coach Brad Selby said. "That's the name of the game in pitching. Work ahead and it makes life a lot easier. Defensively we played well. They had some good shots that we gloved and made some throws."

Minster starter Jacob Niemeyer got through the first two innings unscathed, but in the third Jackson Terpstra led off with a single. Ryland Archey drew a walk and both runners stole a base before Bryce Blickle singled to left. Terpstra scored, but Archey was thrown out trying to reach third base. Niemeyer got the out after Grant Selby grounded back to the mound and Niemeyer threw to third to get Blickle for the second out, allowing Selby to reach second. A wild pitch later, Justin Tenkman singled home Selby for the second run.

Two more runs came in the fourth. Spencer Alig drew a one-out walk. After a balk by Niemeyer, Zack Bertke singled home Alig. Bertke later came home on a throwing error to make it 4-0.

"We hit the ball," coach Selby said. "We had a few baserunning mistakes. We'll get that corrected. We're hitting the ball well right now."

Needing three outs to make it an official game, Wells started the fifth by giving up a triple to August Boehnlein to break up the perfect game. A wild pitch allowed Boehnlein to score to break up the shutout. Wells bore down and struck out Dylan Sharp before walking A.J. Heitkamp. As the storm clouds rolled in, Wells enticed Eric Schmidt to pop out to short before striking out Logan Heitkamp to end the inning. The game was then officially called before the Cardinals had their at-bat in the bottom of the inning.

"Nick pitched well," said coach Selby. "We had a no-no going into the fifth and got the triple off of him.

"I love the kids' attitude. They come to play every night. That's all you can ask."

New Bremen travels to St. Marys tonight for a 7:30 p.m. first pitch. Minster is off until Saturday when the Wildcats make the short trip to Fort Loramie for a noon doubleheader.