ELROSA - You know you're serious about pitching when you get a wrap-around shoulder ice pack for Christmas.

Santa's apparently looking out for you, at least if you're Ethan Vogt and you're pitching win a torn labrum.

"Me and Aaron (Vogt, his brother) got them five or six years ago," Vogt said. "I always had to go around asking for ice all the time. This is much better."

Elrosa would agree. The 24-year-old right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout in leading the Saints to a 3-0 victory over Spring Hill on Sunday afternoon at Saints Field.

The victory clinches a Region 15C berth for the second straight year for Elrosa (13-5), which is trying to make it to the state Class C state tournament for the second year in a row.

"It's fun catching the Vogt boys," Elrosa catcher Steve Mueller said. "And we've picked up Michael Whittemore and he's a big stud. And, we've playing well all year. It's why I keep coming back to play every year."

Vogt scattered eight hits, struck out two and walked one.

He pitched out of a couple of jams, one in the first inning, one in the seventh.

In the first, Spring Hill leadoff hitter Eric Schoenberg singled. He went to second on Jamie Terres' bunt. The Saints tried to get Schoenberg at second, but he was safe. Then, No. 3 hitter Shawn Schoenberg bunted the two over. Up stepped cleanup hitter Nathan Terres, who popped up a suicide squeeze attempt that Elrosa turned into a double play.

"We didn't execute a few plays, especially in that first inning," Spring Hill field manager Randy Schoenberg said. "We hit the ball hard. We didn't get any big hits."

He, too, was impressed by Vogt, the former University of Minnesota pitcher and a Northwoods League all-star in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

"He's not overpowering like he used to be," Schoenberg said. "But he does a good job of moving it and out."

The Chargers' other serious threat came in the seventh. With one out, Aaron Welle singled and Jeff Schoenberg reached on a throwing error. Saints first baseman Pat Illies tried to get the lead runner.

Vogt struck out Eric Schoenberg, then got Jamie Terres to hit a sharply hit line drive right at Vogt.

Vogt has had another decent year since mostly staying away from the mound in 2008, when he discovered his injury. He's now throwing from three-quarters instead of a straight overhand motion. He also had the big hit of the day. After Steve Mueller's RBI single with two outs in the first put Elrosa on the board, Vogt delivered a two-run single in the second.

The interesting non-call of the day was Pat Illies, the Saints' player/manager, putting the stop sign on Kevin Kuefler late as he rounded third. Kuefler slipped in front of Illies, then pushed him back as he went back to third. The Chargers threw the ball home anticipating a play at the plate.

That enabled Matt Middendorf, who singled, to go into second, setting up Vogt's hit. Randy Schoenberg questioned the contact between player and runner, but was told it wasn't seen by the umpire. It turned out to be big.

"We got the breaks today," Illies said. They hit the ball hard. Our games with them, they always seem to be 3-1 or 2-1 or like today, real close."

Spring Hill is host to Meire Grove at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in an elimination game that secures the North Division's other regional berth in Greenwald. Elrosa plays the winner of that one at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in a seeding game.

(St. Cloud Times)