Fairmont collars Bulldogs in Section 3 baseball contest

Jun 7, 2023

MAKING THE PIVOT — Fairmont shortstop Nate Soelter fires a throw over Paynesville Area runner Owen Brick (green jersey) while making the pivot at second base during a Section 3AA elimination baseball game Tuesday night at Legion Field in Marshall. Fairmont second baseman Josh Soelter watches his brother complete the double play. (Photo by Greg Abel)

MARSHALL — The Fairmont Cardinals baseball team played with its 2023 season on the line against the Paynesville Area Bulldogs in an Section 3AA elimination-bracket game on Tuesday night at Legion Field.

Fairmont (20-2) used a five-run fifth inning to beat Paynesville Area 6-3 to advance to play Luverne in the section championship game at 5 p.m. Thursday in Jackson. The game was originally slated for Marshall.

Fairmont has to beat Luverne twice to make the state tournament since it has a loss in the double-elimination tournament.

Fairmont is 2-1 against Luverne this season, winning the first two meetings 8-3 in extra innings in the season opener and 5-1 in the Big South Conference championship game May 20. Fairmont lost to Luverne 2-1 on Saturday.

"These guys are winners. They just know how to win and don't let anything faze them," Fairmont head coach Don Waletich said. "Last year we trailed, but had a key fifth inning and the same thing happened again.

"Good things happen to winners, and those perfectly-placed bunts were big for us. The boys played well and won a big game."

In the five-run fifth inning, Lincoln Becker and Nate Soelter singled, while Jack Kosbab walked to load the bases with one out.

Cooper Steuber followed with a two-run single, Brendan Schmidtke doubled home a run, plus Levi Pooley and Josh Soelter had back-to-back run-scoring bunt singles that plated insurance runs for Fairmont.

At the time, Paynesville Area held a 3-1 lead after it scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Becker scored Fairmont's first run on a wild pitch in the top of the third inning.

After the offensive explosion, Becker pitched in relief, coming on in the bottom of the fourth inning with the bases loaded. Paynesville Area used Brayden VanderBeek's two-run double and Grayson Fuchs’ sacrifice fly.

Fairmont, with only nine outs left in the season, went to work the next frame.

Becker was the winning pitcher, going 3 2/3 innings on the mound. He gave up no runs, three hits, no walks and did not strike out a hitter. Schmidtke started and pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs – two earned – five hits, one walk and struck out one.

"I just wanted to throw strikes and throw first-pitch strikes," Becker said of his final inning on the mound with Paynesville Area needing three runs to tie. "I wanted to let the defense do their thing behind me and they did."

Fairmont's defense was outstanding yet again, turning a 5-4-3 and 4-6-3 double plays, and Pooley tracked down three long fly outs in centerfield to keep Paynesville Area's offense at bay.

For Paynesville Area, Fuchs took the loss, going 4 1/3 innings. He gave up six earned runs, six hits, five walks and struck out five. Isaac Lieser pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up no runs, three hits, no walks and struck out one.

For Fairmont, Landen Meyerdirk and Becker each had two hits to lead the offense. Nate Soelter, Steuber, Schmidtke, Pooley and Josh Soelter had one hit apiece.

Steuber drove in two runs, while Schmidtke, Pooley and Josh Soelter drove in one run apiece for Fairmont.

For Paynesville, Esau Nelson and VanderBeek had two hits apiece.

FMT 001 050 0-6 9 1

PAY 000 300 0-3 8 1

Brendan Schmidtke, Lincoln Becker (4, WP) and Joseph Hackett. Grayson Fuchs (LP), Isaac Lieser (5) and Isaac Lieser, Max Athmann (5).

LOB–Fairmont 7, Paynesville Area 7. 2B–Brayden VanderBeek (PAY), Landen Meyerdirk (FMT) 2, Brendan Schmidtke (FMT). SAC–Levi Pooley (FMT), Nate Soelter (FMT). SF–Grayson Fuchs (PAY).

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