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Fairmont ousts B.E. Area in Section 2AA tilt

FAIRMONT — Ironically, Courtney Williams’ walk-off home run proved to be a sprint around the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Williams hammered a two-run, inside-the-park homer to propel the Fairmont Cardinals to a 10-0, six-inning Section 2AA first-round softball playoff victory over the Blue Earth Area Bucs on Tuesday at Cardinal Park.

No. 3-seeded Fairmont (15-6) plays host to the winner between No. 6-seeded Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and No. 11 Medford in a 5 p.m. second-round sectional game on Thursday in Fairmont.

No. 14-seeded Blue Earth Area ended its season with a 2-15 record.

The playoff opener between WEM (13-7) and Medford (7-11) was postponed to 4 p.m. today in Waterville due to rain on Tuesday.

“We finally got off to a good offensive start today, and that’s always a nice way to begin the playoffs,” said Fairmont head coach Haley Loerts. “It was a positive sign to see us score in five of the six innings instead of relying on that one big inning to win.”

With sophomore ace right-hander Jordan Ehlert limiting the Bucs’ offense to only one hit in six shutout innings, the Cardinals’ batting order struck early and often to gradually build a 10-run rule victory.

“Jo (Ehlert) pitched a good game today. She threw a lot of strikes and showed nice control of her pitches,” Loerts said in reference to Ehlert’s game-high seven strikeouts and only one walk to earn the complete-game shutout. “Overall, we played solid defense behind her, so that’s always a plus.”

Fairmont first baseman Mallory Gochanour displayed her defensive prowess by retiring the Bucs’ No. 2 batter Sydney Blagg by avoiding the backstop’s fencing in gloving a foul popup in the top of the first inning to set the tone.

Mallory Gochanour, who went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and one RBI, lined a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning.

Mallory Gochanour took second on a walk to Mariah Gochanour before Blue Earth Area right-hander Lauren Madetzke plunked Williams with a one-out delivery to load the bases.

Taylor Crissinger grounded to second base, but the throw to the plate was too late to get Mallory Gochanour to a 1-0 lead after one inning completed.

“I thought we did a nice job of being aggressive on the base paths today,” said Loerts.

Ericka Kim and Mallory Gochanour displayed that aggressiveness by collecting singles before scoring on back-to-back wild pitches for a 3-0 margin in the bottom of the second.

Williams then took a page out of Mallory Gochanour’s game plan by drawing a leadoff walk in the third. Williams swiped second base, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball for a 4-0 lead.

Mallory Gochanour then triggered a two-out rally in the Cardinals’ fourth by singling and taking second base on a wild pitch. Mallory Gochanour later crossed the plate on Mariah Gochanour’s RBI single to center.

Mariah Gochanour then stole second base before wheeling home when the throw to third on her next stolen base sailed into the outfield.

Jaiden Leiding drilled a leadoff double to set the table for Fairmont’s offensive outburst in the sixth. Leiding trotted home when Mallory Gochanour launched a towering RBI triple to right-center.

Mallory Gochanour later scored on Taylor Nuss’ mishandled sacrifice bunt before Nuss glided home when Williams circled the bases on her walk-off, inside-the-park two run home run.

Adri Granillo smacked a two-out double in the top of the third inning to account for the Bucs’ only hit of the playoff opener.

Madetzke allowed 10 runs — only five earned — on eight hits, struck out six, walked three and hit one batter in 5 1/3 innings pitched to absorb the loss for the Bucs.

BEA 000 000 — 0 1 3

FHS 121 204 — 10 8 1

Lauren Madetzke (LP) and Ryanne Klabunde. Jordan Ehlert (WP) and Mariah Gochanour.

LOB–Fairmont 5; Blue Earth Area 3. 2B–Jaiden Leiding (F) and Adri Granillo (BEA). 3B–Mallory Gochanour (F). HR–Courtney Williams (F). SAC–Taylor Nuss (F).

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