Fairmont softball gains Section 2AA final 4
NORTH MANKATO — Fairmont head softball coach Haley Loerts’ Cardinals reached the Section 2AA’s final four by establishing a new school record for wins on Saturday.
After losing a white-knuckle, 1-0 third-round playoff clash in 10 innings to Jordan, Fairmont pounded out four extra-base hits to dispatch Belle Plaine, 5-2, during a sectional elimination game at Caswell Park.
Fairmont (17-7) earned a rematch with Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (16-8) at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Caswell Park, with the winner advancing to face Jordan in another elimination game at 7 p.m. that night. Fairmont edged WEM by a 2-0 margin in second-round tournament play last Thursday.
St. Peter (19-4), who remains unbeaten in tournament play, dropped Jordan into the elimination portion of the sectional playoffs via a 3-0 decision on Saturday. St. Peter awaits the Fairmont-WEM-Jordan winner in the 5 p.m. championship Thursday in North Mankato.
“After a heart-breaking loss to Jordan earlier, we bounced back to live to fight another day,” said Loerts, whose lineup eclipsed last year’s single-season record of 16 victories. “I told the girls to think about it (the 1-0 loss), reflect and then move on.
“I’m proud of the way we bounced back to eliminate Belle Plaine.”
Taylor Nuss and Courtney Williams delivered half of the Cardinals’ four extra-base hits to generate two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and ace hurler Jordan Ehlert & Co. never looked back.
Nuss drilled a two-out double before trotting home when Williams deposited her single-season record 13th home run over the left-field fence.
Ironically, Jordan right fielder Myah Briese robbed Williams of a dramatic go-ahead home run with one out in the top of the seventh inning during Game 1. Briese reached over the outfield wall to bring Williams’ deep drive back into the ballpark.
“Jordan’s right fielder (Briese) made a game-saving catch. You have to give her credit for making a great play, and move on,” said Fairmont assistant coach Tom Seifert. “Our girls did a nice job of coming back to beat Belle Plaine.”
Jaiden Leiding set the table for Fairmont’s solo run in the third inning against Belle Plaine. Leiding lined a leadoff single to right before Mallory Gochanour replaced her on base via a fielder’s choice ground out. Mallory Gochanour took second on a wild pitch, wheeled to third on a delayed steal and scored on twin sister Mariah Gochanour’s RBI bunt hit for a 3-0 lead.
Belle Plaine utilized the long ball to inch within one run of the lead during the top of the sixth inning. Hailey Witt drilled a one-out double before rounding the bases on Taylor Mullen’s RBI triple to left-center. Jessica Prader later walked, with Mullen swiping home on the back side of a double steal.
Fairmont catcher Mariah Gochanour and pitcher Jordan Ehlert then turned in the defensive gem of Game 2 as Prader later tried to score on a wild pitch from third base. Gochanour’s flip to Ehlert covering the plate denied Belle Plaine the tying run in the top of the sixth.
Nuss walked to lead off the Fairmont sixth, stole second and moved to third when Taylor Crissinger reached base on a fielder’s choice that produced no out.
Ehlert then assisted her own cause by drilling an RBI double down the third base line before Sydnea Brinkman added an RBI grounder for a 5-2 edge.
Ehlert worked around a walk and Elizabeth Johnson’s single in the top of the seventh inning to seal the Cardinals’ victory.
Ehlert struck out four, walked three and allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings of work to earn the complete-game victory for Fairmont.
Belle Plaine starting pitcher Emma Luskey fanned four, walked one and allowed five runs on seven hits in six frames to take the loss.
Despite Mallory Gochanour collecting two of Fairmont’s four hits against Jordan, Jaguars’ ace pitcher Lydia Plechaty matched the Cardinals’ Jordan Ehlert pitch-for-pitch during the two teams’ scoreless extra-inning marathon.
“Jordan’s defense really made some great plays to keep us off the scoreboard today, including two by their third baseman,” Seifert said in reference to Jordan’s Ansley Miller.
After Williams doubled and Crissinger walked in the Fairmont second at-bat, Miller gloved a hard shot off Ehlert’s bat to step on third base for the force out before pegging a strike to first for a pivotal double play.
Miller also thwarted Fairmont’s 10th-inning threat. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out before Miller gloved a one-hopper off Ericka Kim’s bat to get the force out at the plate. Lydia Plechaty then got a flyout to end the at-bat.
Aliyah Speikers singled to lead off Jordan’s 10th, took second on Kat Imholte’s sacrifice bunt, swiped third and scampered home with the game-winning run on a passed ball.
Plechaty allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked three in 10 shutout innings to earn the complete-game shutout for the Jaguars.
Ehlert gave up the unearned run on four hits, fanned six and walked three in 9 2/3 yeoman innings to absorb the tough loss for the Cardinals.
Fairmont’s Mallory Gochanour and Jordan’s Speikers each produced two hits for their respective teams.
FHS 000 000 000 0 — 0 4 2
JOR 000 000 000 1 — 1 4 0
Winning run scored with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Jordan Ehlert (LP) and Mariah Gochanour. Lydia Plechaty (WP) and Kat Imholte.
LOB–Jordan 8, Fairmont 6. 2B–Mallory Gochanour (FHS), Courtney Williams (FHS). SAC–Mariah Gochanour (FHS), Julia Plechaty (JOR), Imbolte (JOR).
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BP 000 002 0 — 2 6 0
FHS 201 002 x — 5 7 1
Emma Luskey (LP) and Lauren Johnson. Jordan Ehlert (WP) and Mariah Gochanour.
LOB–Belle Plaine 6; Fairmont 2. 2B–Mallory Gochanour (FHS), Taylor Nuss (FHS), Ehlert (FHS), Hailey Witt (BP), Jade Hipp (BP). 3B–Taylor Mullen (BP). HR–Courtney Williams (FHS). SAC–Taylor Crissinger (FHS), Hannah Witt (BP).
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